Monster Ecology Anthology

The venom of a Purple Worm holds great value among thieves and assassins, a few drops sufficient to incapacitate a foe in minutes, a few drops more near certain death. The hide of a Purple Worm is also highly prized, being worked by talented smiths into sturdy chitinous armor. "Hunting" a Purple Worm is a madman's venture, but bold fortune seekers will happily loot the corpse of a dead worm for spoils. DM's Toolkit Purple Worms make imposing threats for most mid-high level parties. They can come in Gargantuan or even Colossal versions and can prove difficult for a melee heavy party to counter. For maximum fear, have them go for the physically weakest party members first. Healers and magic users swallowed whole can throw off a group dynamic as their comrades struggle to find a way to free then from the beast. They can spice up a lot of desert themed encounters, ambushing players when they least expect it. I'm particularly fond of having a run of the mill battle interrupted by the sudden onslaught of a Purple Worm, attacking both parties without mercy. Its difficult assigning treasure to these creatures when killed. A party member skilled in alchemy could drain the venom for several vials worth of potent venom to sell or use. There's also the cliché armor/weapons of previous meals. My favorite though is having the creatures stomach filled with rare gem stones. Normal rock is dissolved and passed but harder minerals remain in the stomach to aid in digestion. Like gizzard stones in some birds. 301

Quaggoth "Forgive no-speak Quag, bareskin. They not understand talk of the... civilized. Hee hee... Yes, they hungry you see. And taste of other Quag is much bore now! Yes, bore! Learn that word from fat black-gnome trader - he begged! Begged! But we not care. I thonot. I speak for Quag. Know them, see. Oh, don't run! Oh hee hee! Don't run bareskin, just want to talk! Yes... listen to thonot. Hee..." -- Wermo Bigtooth the Quaggoth Thonot Introduction The Quaggoth (kwah-goth) are a race of bestial humanoids, savages and cannibals who hunt the vast caverns of the Underdark and shadows of deep forests. Their fur thickly covers their entire body, bone white or a rich brown - frequently stained in reds, greens, and blues with the blood of their strange prey. They live and hunt in fierce tribal groups, some of which have a psionically powerful Quaggoth known as a thonot. This thonot takes on the role of shaman, oral storyteller, and (in limited cases) diplomat. Quaggoth are fiercely independent but have been known to be subjugated. Physiological Observations What did you expect, a flumph? Go in the other room if you're going to throw up. Now, everyone, look at the incisors, designed to bite and chew through a variety of things: flesh, bone, chitin, and even poorly forged steel. - Darkwatcher, Drow Professor of Anatomy Quaggoths are large and humanoid, standing at around 7 feet in height and covered in thick fur. Their frame is a mixture of ursine and lupine influences, with long jointed arms and a stocky torso. They are omnivorous, feeding on anything from flumphs and myconids to deer and berries. Their musculature is highly developed - deceptively hidden by their thick coat of fur. Their faces are long and withdrawn, with their lower jaw noticeably developed. Looking inside the Quaggoth, one finds a strange anatomy. Their blood is a thick and viscous red substance and their muscles are white as snow. Their teeth are jagged and clustered, constantly regrowing new ones and digesting the ones that fall out. Quaggoths are somewhat intelligent, but ruled by bestial tendencies ever since they were forced into the deep chasms of the Underdark (or a world's equivalent) and lost thickets of savage forest. All are capable of some guttural speech in Undercommon or Sylvan, but otherwise lack any capacity for philosophical or moral discussion. Thonots are the only Quaggoths capable of understanding abstract concepts to any extent. Quaggoths are live-born to the females, in litters of two to four. However, only one survives as they instinctively fight to the death. Young grow rapidly, reaching maturity at one year of age. They will live about thirty years, before growing too old to defend themselves and being ritualistically cannibalized. The cannibalistic nature of the Quaggoth is also supported in its anatomy, with a powerful stomach capable of digesting every single part of another Quaggoth. There are two specific subspecies of Quaggoth, those who live in the Underdark and those that stay above the surface in deep forests. Quaggoths who live in the Underdark, simply called Quaggoths, have white fur and are more aggressive. The other, called True Quaggoths, have brown fur and often are more willing to communicate. Quaggoths, having forced to live among vegetation and strange creatures often laced with poisons, have slowly gained an almost supernatural resilience to all forms of poison. The harmful fluids passing easily, producing at the most a bout of indigestion. Quaggoths lack talent or capacity for magic, save for the thonots - who have been exposed to a stray burst of psionic or Fae energy - a common occurrence in the Underdark and ancient forests. Social Observations Savages, the lot. Disagree with someone? Eat them! No, don't talk it out or even duel - just eat each other. Gods! Only reason they haven't ate every single damn one of us is because they're too busy with each other. - Arthol, Duergar Trader Quaggoth form intense tribal groups ranging in numbers from four to thirty, far from civilization. Tribes of Quaggoth have an observable life-cycle, in which the social groups of all Quaggoth may be observed. Tribes begin when two roaming opposite-sex Quaggoth (sometimes escapees of Drow and Elven slavers) meet and savagely mate. They then proceed to mate with each other progressively, including with their own children, rapidly growing over the course of a few years. No clear leader exists, even in tribes with thonots. Quaggoths do not form mating bonds - with all mothers giving birth and then abandoning their young in the "cub pits." At a certain point, the tribe can no longer sustain the collective hunger or support the savage feuds and devolves in a cannibalistic frenzy called by the Quaggoth a Rotakar, the last remnant of the long lost Quaggoth language. The sole survivor, gorging on the flesh, then roams about searching for a mate. Quaggoth live by collective and oral storytelling, with a sick sense of communal honor based around the rite of cannibalism. Thonots hold the role as the storytellers, drawing from the collective conscious of the tribe to weave a story. Among True Quaggoths thonots hold nights of storytelling every full moon that often are laced with lust and cannibalism - sometimes devolving into a Rotakar. Behavioral Observations Even surrounded, the seven beasts didn't back down. The smallest one spoke Sylvan - no, I'm not lying, boy - and said they rather die than be enslaved. I said I would do so gladly, and it laughed. "Not like that," it said. And then they started turning on each other... the blood still stains the ground. Even forty years later. - Barrumar the Ranger, warning a group of young Elven slavers Quaggoths are vicious and brutal. They hold life in little regard and rather kill themselves and other Quaggoths before spending life in subjugation. Or, at least, so they say. Many a slaver will attest that once physically broken their will soon follows and Quaggoths make relatively docile slaves. 302

Quaggoths are inherently jealous and anxious to appear strong before their fellow Quaggoths. A sole Quaggoth is not nearly as violent as those in a group, each one trying to prove to the others it is strong. Quaggoth thonots, being intelligent, often align themselves to the forces of good and evil. Evil thonots scheme and plot to take over their tribes and terrorize nearby settlements. Good thonots often promote the tribe into a controlled and reclusive nature, acting more as druids than leaders. Good thonots are often eaten alive. The rite of cannibalism is an innate urge developed by the Quaggoth over centuries of being deprived of the comforts and boundaries of civilization. Quaggoth like most beasts, can be relatively tamed, but not systematically domesticated. They are resistant to serving a master unless that master holds a whip, and the moment that whip falls from their hands, they will eat their masters alive. Inter Species Observations Why we bite them? Quag like Elf, many winter ago. Quag village, Elf village - side by side. Elf make city, but Quag keep village - so Elf take Quag's everything! Quag village, Quag food, even Quag speak! All take! Why we bite? Because Elf take all, Quag has nothing. And Quag... Quag hungry. - Portarf, thonot telling the tale of the Stealing The Quaggoths were not always so bestial. Much like elves they spread and prospered on the surface, deep in forests. It was when the two races - Elves and Quaggoths - came to blows, the Quaggoth claim because of elven arrogance, that the civilized race was driven to near extinction. Some Quaggoths retreated deep into primeval forests that even the Elves dare not venture into, and others retreated further into caverns until making their way into the Underdark. Even True Quaggoths are but shadows of the former civilization, corrupted by strange and sometimes Fae magics deep in the forest. The language of the Quaggoth has been lost to the ravages of systematic raiding and extermination. Quaggoths in the Underdark are occasionally convinced by Drow to follow their quest against surface elves, but this always leads to brutal enslavement. Quaggoths are a embittered race, trusting only the purest forces of nature. Speaking Elvish to a Quaggoth is an invitation to death, and an adventuring party with even a half-elf must be prepared for a tense situation. Quaggoths don't interact with most civilization because of their far-off nature, content to stay in their retreats. But many an exotic hunter or frontier settlement will find a swarm of Quaggoth ready to strike them down. The bonewhite meat of a Quaggoth is considered a delicacy, and their pelts are a valuable rarity. DM's Toolkit Quaggoths make an easy combat introduction into the hostile environs of a deep forest or the Underdark. Roleplay encounters will often deal with Quaggoth outcasts and thonots - or deal with cannibalism. Cannibalism's great, in fact! It's a quick and easy way to flip a party's expectations on their heads. Their relatively low CR makes them good for grouping into swarms for early and mid-level adventuring groups, or an easy warning to any party too excited to enter a dark forest or cavern. Quaggoths are not too suitable for the longterm, often being hard to reconcile their errant and violent nature with the stability needed to be a lasting settlement or NPC. Quaggoths don't usually in-fight, they simply eat one another - so any persuasion based roleplay sessions may feel a bit forced. Sadly, you're more likely to find a Quaggoth on a random encounter roll table than as a part of an adventuring module - but that doesn't mean they aren't suitable for a lesscombat oriented party. In fact, here's some encounter and plot hooks revolved around Quaggoths! The party finds a large chasm with Drow arrayed on the edge spectating. There is a massive and bloody brawl of ferocious beasts down below, and the Drow are looking for more combatants. Every full moon, the forests near a frontier village erupts in hideous wails and screams. Every adventuring party sent to investigate has never returned. The party visits an Arcane University in the city to research the strange MacGuffin beast, but the Natural Sciences wing has been locked down and the Beastiarian is missing. A thonot approaches the party deep in the woods and he begs for help hiding. One of his arms is chewed into a stump. The party encounters a gaunt Quaggoth thonot in a cavern, he pledges servitude if they will feed him. Both of his arms are chewed to a stump. An Elven trader wagers that the strongest member of the party couldn't beat his Quaggoth thonot slave, while they are traveling through a thick forest. Halfway through the fight, a band of Quaggoths ambush the party. The party finds a (rather cute) baby Quaggoth with its right arm chewed off. It shows psionic ability and grows frighteningly quickly. 303

Rakshasa Ivar stirred fretfully under the blanket, the breath rattling in his chest. It wouldn't be long now, he knew. Why had he let Tors leave the house? Stupid old man, he told himself. He'd sent his son away in hopes that perhaps age would take him...that his son wouldn't have to see his father pass...but that was a cowardly thought. He had one last story to tell... The front door creaked open, and even from the other room Ivar could feel the winter air creep in momentarily, slipping under the door to his bedroom to reach up and caress his face. Soon, Ivar would be cold too. He could hear Tors moving around the front-room, his steps hesitant and heavy. They approached the far corner where the ice-chest was located, and Ivar heard the lid creak open. Ah. He was burdened with heavy game, Ivar realized. Such a good hunter, his son. A trait he'd inherited from his father. The door to his room opened, and there was Tors. Upon seeing Ivar he sucked in his breath in a gasp, a hiss, and Ivar realized he must look as close to death as he felt. Tremulously, he lifted his hand and beckoned to his son. "Come here, my boy," he wheezed. "I don't have long and I have one last story to tell you." "Father, please," Tors said hesitantly. "You don't have to waste your strength!" "I must, while I still have the strength to tell you." Ivar paused, drawing another long, slow breath. "I've told you about my many adventures, the many creatures I've slain. But since you were a boy, if you asked me about the most terrible creature I ever encountered, I would not tell you. And I would not tell you why I never carried my old sword since you were born. Sit, my son, and I will tell you the tale of the Rakshasa." -Forty Years Prior- "A shape-shifter," Ivar said, crouched over the body. He heard the constable scoff in disbelief. He looked up at the man, gesturing at the body. "No sound of struggle," Ivar pointed out. "No suspicious characters about. A single window into the room that not even the greatest acrobat could hope to reach, and no evidence of ropes or hooks or other climbing gear, either; I've already checked. The door was opened for whoever came to the room, not forced." "And the night watchman in the lobby saw the innkeeper's assistant heading towards this wing of rooms," Petra volunteered from the doorway, leaning against the doorframe with her staff leaned casually against the wall. "Why does it matter that the assistant was seen walking around earlier?" The constable asked, confused. "Because we were at his house," Ivar said, standing, "and he's been dead since yesterday." -Now- "We did not know what to make of it at first," Ivar told Tors, who sat breathless by his side. "Why this young woman? Who was she? "It was not until the next night that we learned who she was. A woman of the night, a warm companion for lonely men...and one in particular. A local noble, a man of great power. We feared the shape-changer would use its power to get to him..." -Then- "You simply cannot enter my lord's chambers at this hour," the aide sputtered, trotting to keep up with their rapid pace. "He is--my lord is--" "Entertaining?" Petra said, her mouth twisted in a wry, humorless smile. "Indisposed," the aide said stiffly. "Well he's going to end up pretty well disposed if we don't get in there," Ivar said angrily. They were at the door. The discussion was over. Petra gripped her staff as Ivar drew his sword; a majestic blade as green as jade. They nodded to one another. Before the aide could protest, Ivar planted his back foot and kicked the door at the handle, sending it flying open. "Gods!" said Rezler, his hands flying up into the air. "What's the meaning of this?" He was bald, overweight, and extremely surprised. The nobleman's eyes were wide with shock, his mouth an Oshape. Ivar pointed his blade towards him. "The woman," he said, "where is she?" Rezler flushed deep red. "I don't know what you're talking about," he stammered. He flapped his hand at the aide who, also blushing with shame, took his leave. "There's no, ah, no woman here. My wife would not--" "--have any idea that you're futtering a prostitute when she's away," Petra supplied. "We could care less. We know she was scheduled to arrive only minutes before we did. Believe me, you're in danger. Where did you hide her when you heard us--" She turned. Ivar did too. Their eyes met momentarily before looking towards the wardrobe. The soft bump and scrape from within had been unmistakable. "Don't move," Ivar shot at Rezler. "Let us do our job." He and Petra turned away towards the wardrobe, setting themselves on either side of it. Ivar reached for the knob of the door. Ready? He mouthed at Petra. She nodded, her mouth poised to begin chanting a spell. Ivar gripped the doorknob and pulled open the door. Rezler lay on the bottom of the wardrobe, his legs and arms twisted at inhuman angles to accommodate his size. His eyes were glassy and unfocused as his head twitched weakly, striking against the interior wall with a soft bump. From behind them, the other Rezler began to chant. "Petra--" Ivar began, but it was too late. As he spun around his body froze, held by some invisible force. His momentum sent him collapsing onto the floor, scarcely able to breathe as the creature in front of them gripped him with a terrible will. The thing that had been Rezler was no Doppleganger. A strange man-tiger stood there. Its amber eyes glimmering as its mind-dominating magic worked its way into Ivar's brain, a catlike face twisted into a savage, feline grin. Petra began shouting a spell of her own. Bolts of magical energy lanced out from her outstretched hand, burrowing into the creature's body. The thing laughed and leapt forward with frightening speed, wholly unaffected. A fiend, Ivar realized in horror. They'd come across some kind of horrible fiend. Immune to all but the strongest magics. Gods, Petra... 304

She struggled as best she could. She backed against the wall as the creature approached, her mouth forming the words for another spell. Its hands fell upon her, and Ivar saw that its hands were backwards, fingers jointed in the reverse of a mortal man's. Those twisted fingers clapped Petra's mouth shut, the other hand gripping her neck. Ivar heard the crunch of bone...and Petra was gone. As her body slipped to the floor, the creature turned to Ivar and grinned. "Not strong enough to break my magics," it observed. "I would have thought not." It approached him, looking down at his immobile body with those amber eyes. "Be honored," the thing remarked. "Few have ever seen a Rakshasa in its true form. In my true home, in the Nine Hells, I am even more ravishing." It chuckled. "Your presence here spoiled my hope to impersonate the nobleman," the Rakshasa hissed softly. "There will be too many questions now. But perhaps this trinket will assuage me." It reached down and picked up Ivar's green-bladed sword. "Beautiful," it remarked. "And perhaps enchanted as well, no? Only weapons such as these could ever harm me...perhaps I will take ownership of it, for safe keeping." The Rakshasa gripped the blade in its hand, putting the point of the blade underneath Ivar's chin. Ivar felt a sudden rush of hope. He knew what would happen next-- The blade crackled with electricity the moment it touched Ivar's throat, bolts of energy traveling up the hilt and tearing across the Rakshasa's arm. The creature shrieked with pain and released the weapon; Ivar reached up reflexively and caught it. The pain and surprise had broken the creature's concentration, his muscles were freed. There was no time to hesitate. The creature looked up from its charred hand, eyes flashing with rage, only to see the sword come crashing down. The blade split the creature's skull, bone and blood and brain spattering onto the stone floor. -Now- "You killed it," Tors said softly, a dark shape in the sunset light from the window behind him. "You slew the creature." Ivar nodded. "I have fought fouler things, darker things," he said. A tear ran down his cheek. "But the Rakshasa cost me my first love. I made a horrible mistake. I vowed I would not make another." "And the sword?" Tors said. "A powerful artifact, bound to you alone? That's why the Rakshasa couldn't touch it." "Mine alone, and refused to harm me," Ivar said. He smiled. "Reach under the bed, my son." Tors' figure leaned down, and Ivar heard his son gasp with surprise. He straightened, holding an ornate sword encased in a scabbard. "But you said you never wore this, I assumed--" "Hidden beneath the floorboards for thirty years," Ivar said. "Since the day you were born. And now--" his trembling hand reached out, touching the scabbard. "--it is your inheritance. Afash syb Salaret." A spark, like static electricity, jumped from the old man's hand, to the sword, to Tors' hand as he held it. Tors sat in silence for some time. Finally, he spoke. "You said you made a mistake that night," he said. "You said you vowed not to make another. But you've made two." Ivar shook his head. "I do not understand." "First, you gave me this sword freely," Tors said, looking up at him. He leaned forward, his amber eyes flashing. "The second," the Rakshasa said, "was not following me to the Nine Hells and finishing the job." Ivar gaped. "Tors..." he croaked. "Tors..." "Your son's in the ice box," the Rakshasa snarled. His backwards hands gripped the sword. "Twenty agonizing years in the Nine Hells as my body reformed," the creature hissed. "Twenty more to track you down. And it was worth it, every delicious moment, for this." The Rakshasa stood, drawing the sword. As it had all those decades ago, the man-tiger placed the tip of the blade against Ivar's throat; but this time, no lightning was forthcoming. The blade belonged to the fiend, now. "You were fortunate," the Rakshasa said. Ivar's mouth twisted into a bitter smile. "Because I have seen your true form twice in a lifetime?" The Rakshasa shook its head. "Fortunate that you had only one child left by the time I found you." The blade lunged forward. DM TOOLKIT Rakshasa are CR 13 Fiends with access to powerful illusion, deception, and mind control abilities. Their powerful abilities and immunity to nonmagical weapons and low-level spells means that they're all but untouchable by anything other than a high level party. Still, establishing a Rakshasa early can make for an interesting recurring main or side villain. Even if the PCs thwart the Rakshasa's plot, the slippery creature is likely going to sneak away and resume some other plot. Rakshasa make for excellent villains: manipulative, charismatic, capable of bending others to their will, and most importantly, vengeful. A previously slain or thwarted Rakshasa will stalk the party and their friends for as long as they remain alive. They will send assassins, impersonate authority figures to poison public opinion against them, attempt to hurt them and the people they love. The quest to end the nightmare might draw the party into a chronic quest chapter intermittently throughout an entire level 1-20 campaign. 305

Remorhaz "They say Frost Giants abhor heat in all its forms. They build no fire, forge no goods, and do not even cook their meat. And this common piece of wisdom is mostly true, barring one common exception..." Orryn Sindri Folkor Remorhaz was a gnome adventurer, sage, and naturalist. He had trekked across continents, scoured ancient tomes, and slain beasts beyond number. Little did he know that beneath his feet was the discovery that would make him famous. While trekking across the icy wastes, a huge cloud of steam blew up behind him. A centipede-like creature with a hundred clawed feet, cobalt scales, and blazing skin tore its way out of the melting snow, clouds of steam pouring from it. This was the beast that would make him famous. That was, if he could survive it. Physiological Observations Remorhazes grow to be almost 30 feet tall, up to 40 feet long, and almost 15 feet in diameter. They resemble centipedes with their many scuttling legs, long tubular bodies, and antenna. All similarity ends there, as Remorhazes also possess massive eyes, cobalt scales, and vast glowing crests. The crests are made of some sort of naturally occurring steel that is believed to gather in adults and is passed on to the children through the egg shell. Remorhazes have the innate ability to produce heat hot enough to burn prey and soften metal. As they grow older they can raise and lower this temperature at will, allowing them to maintain their body temperature without melting the snow around them. However, whenever they hunt, they unleash their natural heat at full power. This causes snow around them to melt and their steel crests to glow red hot. Social Observations Remorhazes are asocial creatures, not out of any lack of social skills, but out of pragmatism. There is simply not enough prey to sustain a community of Remorhazes, so each adult stakes out a territory of up to ten square miles. If two Remorhazes come into conflict over a border dispute, they will fight until one is driven off. These fights are usually just elaborate shows of dominance, as an injury will usually mean an inability to hunt, and therefore death. Males and Females come together to mate once a year, provided they can find a prospective partner. There are very few Remorhazes, as most mating seasons involve males and females wandering the wastes, following the signs of a possible mate's passage. If prey is abundant, a male and female will stay in the same area for several days. If prey is not, they will stay only long enough for the female to lay a clutch of eggs. These eggs are then abandoned, and then the Remorhazes return to their territory. Behavioral Observations Remorhazes hunt through ambush, lying in wait for days in a metabolic stasis. Their sensitive antenna extend deep into the permafrost, feeling for the vibration of footsteps on the hard snow crust. When suitable prey is detected, the Remorhaz emerges in a cloud of steam and slush, attacking and swallowing its prey whole. Remorhazes do not attack indiscriminately, avoiding Giants and large groups. They hunt through ambush, but have never been observed using an strategy more cunning than that of a wolf pack. Inter-Species Observations Remorhazes are usually wild predators, viewing all creatures smaller than themselves as prey, with the exception of younger Remorhazes. They will not attack the young, even if they are not their spawn, but will instead drive the fledgling away. Other Remorhazes are also not considered food. Other exceptions include White Dragons, Frost Giants, and other creatures bigger or of similar stature. However, Remorhazes, can be trained. They are savage predators, so such tactics are highly dangerous and highly unreliable. Some Frost Giant Jarls have reported success with this creatures, but most such reports are mere boasts. Other creatures of similar stature sometimes maintain a partnership with the creature, using the Remorhaz as an involuntary watchdog. Others follow the younger ones, scavenging from their half-eaten kills. DM's Toolkit A Remorhaz is just plain impressive. They make excellent random encounters for high level parties, especially when paired with other creatures of the Ice Lands, such as Frost Giants, Yetis, and Undead or Fire based Fiends. They also make excellent allies for more intelligent monsters. Tell me seeing a Pit Fiend riding one of these things into battle wouldn't be awesome. Because it is. They could also be used in a more sinister way. A way for the tactful DM to say "This land is dangerous" is for half the snow to instantly melt, clouds of fog fill the air, and a beast of Ice and Fire to erupt from the ground with a never ending hunger for adventurer flesh. Other uses include, but are not limited too. A distraction released as a Villain needs makes their escape A clever decoy. Hint about a low level Dragon, then send out one of these things. It'll knock them off their game. Remorhaz variants. Shadowfell: Replace its fire with Necrotic damage and immunity, give it proficiency in Stealth, and give it resistance to non-magical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage while in Darkness or Dim Light. Aquatic: Think, the Leviathon. It creates banks of fog when it activates its internal heat, attacks fishermen , and coastal villages, and it's mouth could easily be described as doorway to hell. Infernal/Abyssal: Give it immunity to Poison, raise its intelligence, and give it innate spellcasting. You have now created an unbeatable boss. 306

Revenant Introduction Jarx sat, waiting, thinking. Hell had finally come to take him. He had always thought he would end up in the lower planes. But this, he had never expected his end would come like this. The farmer had already taken the others. Jarx had finally laid down his weapons, it didn't matter anyway they'd killed the farmer several times but, he always came back. Awake for 52 hours, Jarx was ready, he deserved this. The farmer had begged and begged: "Just leave my wife and daughter alone, take anything, please, please, I beg of you sir". They had laughed and made him watch. Even though Jarx hadn't agreed with their actions, he hadn't stopped them either, he was just as bad. He deserved this. Physiological Observations Revenants are wronged souls that claw their way back into the material plane by sheer will. Reports say they look just like zombies but with a burning fury in their eyes and a certain resolve in their stride. However I, Rono von Kompon, after following reports of one of the creatures found its quarry. When I spoke to the frightened man, he told me the creature looked exactly like a person he'd wronged but with flaming red eyes. He told me that when he looked into them he felt the lower planes calling him. Now I can't be sure if the man's word can be trusted because it seemed like fear had driven him mad. Every report tells us the same: The revenant can't be killed. When their physical body stops moving, a few days later they return in a different corpse. Even getting their current body to stop moving proves to be a real challenge. Their wounds seem to start healing at an incredibly fast rate immediately after it is inflicted. Some people have reported fire to be effective. Social Observations Revenants usually don't seek out other creatures, simply because they're completely focused on getting their revenge. If their target is strong they are known to try and get powerful allies to help them hunt. For that same reason you'll sometimes see several of them together. They always come over as angry, determined and impatient. Sometimes you'll still be able to sense a certain sadness for the thing or things they've lost. Judging from their actions, there is no reason to believe that these creatures are inherently evil. Some even keep praying in their current form. They mostly keep away from people because most people wouldn't understand their situation and only see them as an evil undead creature. It sure seems like a tragic existence to me. Behavioral Observations Revenants are focused on one thing and one thing only: getting revenge. They never rest, they keep going everything that isn't their target or helps them achieve their goal, is a distraction or an obstacle. So if you become an obstacle you'd best be prepared to fight. If you're willing to help or have some information to offer, they're willing to negotiate terms. They value everything that helps them get their vengeance. They keep their general sense of morality, so if they were good in life they will remain good in their return. However if they had no problem killing a person that annoys them, they'll still have no problem with disposing of people. Variant Species Even though their goal usually stays the same, the way they come back can vary. Regular: As described they come back on their own by using sheer power of will. Pact: They made a deal with a devil. You can use this so that you can give them some extra demonic powers. These Revenants should also be a little more desperate because their time is more limited (or less if you choose) and they have something invested in the deal. God's gift: The soul asked their god to give them the time to go back and deliver justice. You can use this to let them have angelic powers. They usually have no time limit and can thus stalk and plan the demise of their target. Summoned: If someone wants a target dead they can perform a ritual to search for souls who want vengeance against the person. They can then bind them to corpses and ease their way into this world. These Revenants are weaker but they'll come in groups. Because why stop at one? DM's Toolkit Revenants aren't very versatile in my opinion. Now before you crucify me, hear me out. The thing that drives them is always the same. Now that doesn't mean that it can't be used in a great many ways. Many uses for 1 general idea: Consequence: If your players brutally murder everyone and their family. One of their victims is bound to come back and exact some justice. Especially useful for that LG paladin who wants to murder a merchant for their goods. Plot hook: Looking for a BBEG, a quest, an adventure, an unusual ally? The Revenant is your guy. Savior: Is your party close to wiping? Do you feel sorry because you know you set them up for disaster? Do you regret having them fight a master-warrior after putting them through a gauntlet of deadly traps? The Revenant can provide some much needed back-up by finally catching up to their target. (I'm not a fan of this) 307

Roc "They say birds of a feather... I don't want to meet the flock." -- Diary of a Traveller page 256 Introduction The Rocs are big birds of prey, really big ones; Rocs are one of the largest living creatures around. They soar the skies often above cloud level, riding thermals at incredible speeds between preferred hunting and nesting grounds. They were originally subservient to giants since their creator Annam the father of giant gods, brought them into being to challenge the dragons superiority in the sky. When the war between giants and dragons ended the Rocs were freed and left to roam the world, where they rightfully took a spot at the top of the food chain. Physiological Observations Rocs share many parallels with the common raptors such as eagles and hawks, which are easier for an inexperienced biologist to observe. Rocs however differ in several ways. Most notably their size, Rocs can grow to a size where their body from tip to tip can exceed 90 feet in length with wingspans stretching over 200 feet. The sheer size of the Rocs have led many intellectuals to wonder how they could even lift their wings, let alone fly. This question was answered when a daring treasure hunter managed to retrieve several wing bones and feathers of a deceased Roc. The feathered were understandably light. The intrigue came from the weight of the bones, the largest of which being over ten feet in length could be carried even by a child. These bones are very durable considering their weight, however the uses for such a material is limited due to its difficulty to work. Simple weapons such as spears are possible, however the high price of Roc bones means such a thing would be uncommon. Observations on Rocs as well as comparisons to smaller birds of equivalent shape has led many to theorize that a full grown Roc might not be much heavier than an average knight. This means that a Roc can move around an area very quietly, and may even sneak up on those who are not on the lookout. As with many animals the intelligent is roughly proportional to brain size, Rocs are much more intelligent than their smaller counterparts. That being said, Rocs are nowhere near the intelligence of humanoid races, a sizable proportion of their brain is used maintaining their gargantuan bodies, and a larger proportion is focused on their very advanced sight. An adult Roc can see and identify prey from several miles. A Roc's incredible eyesight makes sneaking up on them difficult, but if one makes it close without being noticed it can be let down by its sense of hearing and smell which are barely more attuned than a humans. Behavioral Observations Rocs favorite locations are wide open areas with easy prey and high up areas for nesting. Most Rocs will nest in high mountain peaks preferentially with ample grasslands nearby for food. Rocs hunt large prey such as Mammoths, Yaks and occasionally Giants. Rocs mostly live alone and are very protective of their territory, females can keep to the same nest for over a century. Due to how much they need to eat the lands their territory covers can be vast, spanning over ten miles in all directions. Meetings between Rocs have three outcomes; a fight for territory which can injure, one will scare off the other, or mating. Female and Male Rocs have some differences. Males live a more nomadic life, not keeping a regular nesting place. Female Rocs on the other hand may have elaborate nests created over several decades, but finding materials for such a construct can be difficult. They may use man-made structures like a ships prow or siege equipment, sometimes opting for comfortable thatched roofing. In less populated areas their nests can be made from several whole trees. Considering the anti-social behavior they hold to each other mating can be difficult. The female Rocs being larger to account for the organs and physiology needed to grow eggs, as such females often have priority of territory due to difference in physical strength. The males are tasked with locating a receptive female which causes them to spend more time traversing the world in search for a good partner. For this reason many males do not have a permanent territory and instead hunt in shared hunting spots. Shared is a term to be used loosely since they will go to great lengths to avoid each other. When a male finds a female the male must be cautious. A female who already has already been fertilized, does not carry enough eggs to deem mating worthwhile. Or otherwise does not have ideal conditions for raising young, usually due to lack of food. Will lead to the female violently chasing off the male, there has been cases of males receiving mortal injuries from these encounters. Males will display to females their strength and hunting prowess via a combination of wing beats, running and retrieval of food. When the female is receptive, mating is often very quick. Rocs have specialized glands for mating opposed to more traditional genitalia owned by mammals. When mating has finished the male will leave quickly in order to find other mates and to avoid any harm from the female. After a few weeks the female Roc will lay between two and six eggs and the chicks will be born a ratio of 1:2 male to female. Roc eggs are very valuable sometimes fetching prices in the thousands of gold, before the eggs hatch the mother will fiercely guard them, making them difficult to obtain. The Mother using her powerful eyes will quite literally not let them out of sight. This motherly protection will last until the young chicks can defend themselves to a degree, which can take up to a year. The mother is careful when supplying food to her young since they can only digest meat, she will take meticulous care stripping all bones and hide from prey which is a troublesome task with such a large beak. Generally the only time Rocs spend much time together is when they are young, a nest full of Rocs is known as a rookery, and should be avoided if at all possible, due to a protective mother and the easy to underestimate beaks of the juveniles. 308

Inter species Observations Rocs are predators through and through, as such they are not known for making friends of other species. As with other predatory birds what they will hunt is limited by what they can carry without having much of an effect on flight. To note for a full grown Roc this includes most living creatures. That being said they may happily ignore humanoids due to being a too small to be worth the effort. Due to the Rocs nature being almost solely predatory and have little contact with their own kind, their language is simplistic. The language they use is a unique system of calls which convey simple concepts such as food and danger, some however argue that the language extends further such as directions and rough descriptions. Even a telepath would find conversation difficult since they would not offer more than a simple conversation about their favorite prey. Due to their antisocial nature getting a Roc to do what you want is difficult. Usually only caring about the amount and quality of food they are given, taming one is difficult, but not impossible. Rocs cannot be bribed or coerced in any other way than food; they do not respond to threats and do not deal in favors, since most of what one could offer them they would prefer to do on their own. They also do not value material possessions highly. Storm giants and cloud giants have been known to tame and even ride them by raising them from birth or young age with regular food with bones and hides removed to keep them as healthy as possible. Young Rocs are grateful to receive regular food and food of high quality. This also applies to mothers when raising young, they will however be less trusting of others at this time. Rocs will quickly learn the appearance of those who bring food offerings and are unlikely to attack these people. As a leftover from the creation of rocs by the father of giant gods Annam, they are not fond of the dragons they were created to fight. Rocs passionately dislike dragons that live nearby good hunting grounds, but however will avoid them due to being a credible threat. Rocs are fragile when it comes to damage to their wings, and a fight with a dragon can often lead to a rocs death since if it would be unable to fly afterwards. Rocs will however hunt down or chase off smaller dragons before they can become a threat. This has been useful to dragon hunters capable of telepathy, since rocs can determine and hold memory of a dragons color, size, rough age, location and how healthy it is. Rocs are not trusting of creatures sharing traits with dragons, such as scales or the ability to breath fire. It has been known for them to clear Kobolds from lands around their territories, and to be particularly aggressive to Dragonborns. Sub species Common The Common Roc are as described above. Only minor differences separate members of the common variety. Differences are often based on location, prey and diet. Such as coloration of plumage and the shape of beak and claws. These minor differences appear due to the Rocs slight ability to adapt over their long lifespan. Occasionally cross breeds will appear between the common, storm and bone Rocs. Bone Roc The Bone Roc has a very different plumage than the common Roc and at a glance can look like an entirely different creature. Otherwise the body behind the feathers is very similar to the Common Roc. What separates the Bone Roc is its behavior and diet. Bone Rocs are scavengers profiting greatly of war and disease. They also have a fondness of large bones which they crush with their claws and eat, strong stomach acid aiding digestion. The behavior of bone rocs is peculiar and possibly links to their origins. They live in several awkward rocky mountains across the world, sticking to very specific spots within them. In these hard to reach locations they horde bones of fallen Rocs of all subspecies, leaving them in vast mounds until they eventually decay. The Bone Rocs do not eat these bones seemingly out of respect for their fallen. It has been suggested that the specific locations they confine themselves to are sacred to Rocs in some way. Bone Rocs are the only subspecies to be somewhat sociable with each other in adult life, since they are confined to these small locations. Storm Roc Storm Roc or sometimes Thunderbird, are a subspecies of Roc that primarily live in stormy areas, often but not exclusively near the ocean. They are smaller, with a reduced wingspan and body bulk, they are slightly more nimble than the common Roc. The naming of the Storm Roc is somewhat sensationalized. Once considered to create large storms under its wings, bringing ruin to small settlements. Later they would be considered bad omens, when one is seen a storm is sure to follow. While not written in stone the latter is closer to the truth. Storm Rocs use their increased dexterity to stay aloft in storms, providing them with a somewhat random but effective way of travelling without needing to expend much energy. They are more nomadic than common Rocs, possibly due to this method of travel often not keeping a nest for more than a decade. Storm Rocs will hunt much smaller prey on average and have a particular fondness of horses. 309

DM's Toolkit These things are big, really big. Keep this in mind if you are planning combat. Rocs personality (and size) dictates they will be most likely be alone in a fight, meaning they can be ganged up on by players, a level 8 party of 3+ players could handle one (played well). Since it doesn't make much sense to have a party fighting more than one difficulty can be introduced in other ways. For example the rocky outcrops in a mountain-top nest do not obstruct the massive roc, the players however will need to think more carefully about their position. The talons ability is a good way to make the roc a credible threat, while arguably the roc would probably grab at the largest target naturally. A Roc with increased intelligence or some form of external motive would restrain a key party member for the combat making taking it down difficult. Rocs can be reasonable plot hook without the need for a fight, perhaps your party is escorting a caravan from city to city and a hungry roc snatches a beast of burden (or two) carrying valuable items, and it's now their job to travel into the rocs nest to get it back. Doing this can lead into an encounter of a more appropriate difficulty and supply a horde of loot which has been gathered over several years from merchants caravans. An interesting difficult encounter could be made to include a mother and its young. The young serving as ads, can simply take scaled down stats and only attack with their beaks. 310

Roper "Well that's decided. I'm never going into a cave again." -- Discouraged Adventurer Introduction The roper, despite its horrifying aberrant appearance, is a creature whose origins most likely lay in the Material Plane. The predominant theory maintains that the roper is the result of some powerful kuo-toa's reality-warping influence on piercers, darkmantles, or some other local fauna; a claim supported by their frequent proximity to kuotoa clans. Opponents of this theory are quick to cite examples of ropers found lurking far from the influence of their purported creators, but this could simply suggest that they have become a self-sustaining life form of their own. Physiological Observations Observing ropers can be a challenge in and of itself. They are adept ambushers whose natural camouflage makes them nearly indistinguishable from stalagmites or stalactites - pebbly carapace, cone shaped structure and all. They are also patient, capable of waiting perfectly still for tremendously long periods of time until prey is within range of their long tendrils. They are also clever enough to only attack prey they are confident they can handle, so would-be observers often find themselves suddenly under attack from large, formidable specimens. Thus, most ropers observed are large: eight to ten foot high cone shaped creatures, around six feet wide at the base, featuring six long tendrils, a large fanged mouth, and a single eye. Their skin* is typically craggy and pebbly, resembling the rocky habitats they prefer. They typically weigh in somewhere between one and three tonnes. Studies performed by intrepid (and well paid) adventurers provide evidence to suggest that ropers grow as they age. They appear to hatch from eggs as shrimp-like larvae, and live inside their parent's mouth. There they feed off of any prey captured by their parent host, and frequently cannibalizing smaller roper larvae. When they gain enough body weight they mate, then escape their parent's maw and burrow underground, emerging later as small ropers, six to ten inches in height. They grow slowly, feeding on insects and bats at first, graduating to more challenging (often sentient) prey later. Nobody knows the upper limit of a roper's size, but some adventurers have made (unsubstantiated, unsupported) claims of towering ropers twenty feet high with tendrils one hundred feet long. How such a creature could sustain itself is a unknown. No conclusive evidence about gender has been discovered, leaving most scholars to hypothesize that ropers are likely hermaphrodites. Social Observations The vast majority of interaction between ropers occurs premetamorphosis. Roper larva compete for food and for mates, killing and eating smaller specimens. After metamorphosis, ropers seem to have no interest in one another. They are apparently content to share territory, sometimes appearing in groups of several dozen. Typically food supply pressures will limit population sizes, causing all but one or two ropers in an area to starve and die, their carcasses calcifying over time. Behavioral Observations Ropers are slow, bulky creatures who are careful to conserve their energy. Food can be scarce in many common roper habitats. A roper will typically plant within a passageway, staying motionless until suitable prey passes within reach. They attack prey with their long tendrils, which sport hairlike filaments that deliver a numbing poison. Once ensnared, they are dragged into the roper's mouth to be mangled, then swallowed whole. The digestive process is rapid and effective, destroying most materials within a few days. Metals typically survive much longer, making some ropers repositories of metal objects once carried by adventurers. The digestive fluid serves a double purpose for the roper. When food is scarce ropers will enter into a hibernation state. Their mouths remain open, filled with digestive fluid which has a strong fragrant scent. This attracts insects, birds, lizards, bats, and other small creatures to investigate, many of whom fall into the mouth and are digested. Adventurers may stumble across a comatose roper with its mouth wide open, which is a good indicator that nobody has passed through the area for a while. Inter-Species Observations Ropers are often found near groups of kuo-toa, although they are not by any means allied; kuo-toa are considered just as edible to the roper as any other species. Otherwise, ropers seem to have no particularly noteworthy relationships with any other species. Anything that moves is treated as potential food. Subspecies While ropers are commonly found in caves, they can be found all over the world. They often take on the colour and texture of their surroundings. In arctic climates ropers are often white in colour, although black and pale blue variations have allegedly been seen. They tend to position themselves in ice fissures, smashing the ice when travelers are near to put them off their footing. Some ropers have been found living underwater. There are theories that these subspecies may be fully waterbreathing, but some observations suggest that they use their tendrils as breathing tubes, periodically reaching up to the surface. This may also be a means of determining the conditions above the water. Ropers of enormous size have been encountered floating among debris fields in the astral sea. There they await astral skimmers which they either attach themselves to or attempt to destroy. On very rare occasions astral sea travelers have witnessed tremendous battles between astral ropers and astral dreadnoughts. Most were wise enough to keep their distance. Perhaps more terrifying yet are the ropers found on the plane of earth, who are often ensnared by earth elementals. Few reliable reports have returned regarding these creatures. 311

DM's Toolkit Ropers are perfect for adding a lurking danger to a natural cavern or canyon-like space. Their presence requires no justification in such an environment. A single roper in a cavernous space is an interesting challenge itself for lower level parties, but adding terrain hazards such as pits or steam vents can make for a more memorable battle. Ropers are primarily crowd control monsters, moving players into disadvantageous positions. A time sensitive climbing challenge with ropers interfering from below could be hilariously frustrating. Encounters in natural spaces with other creatures can be spiced up with the presence of a roper, attacking both sides indiscriminately. Combining ropers with creatures like darkmantles and piercers can also be thematically interesting, likewise with mimics. This kind of dungeon can reward characters with high perception and nature skills. They also serve as convenient loot reservoirs. 312

Rust Monster "Damn Rusties. I swear, those buggers are going to put me out of business." --Burt Stronghammer, village blacksmith, on rust monsters "Oh, I love 'em. They're a lot friendlier than you think, long as you keep 'em fed. Plus, they really piss off the blacksmith who works around here, and that's comedy you can't buy." --Dimble Oneshoe, thief and local trickster Introduction Pests to many, yet pets to others, rust monsters are simple, insectoid beasts driven solely by their hunger for ferrous metal. These strange creatures search tirelessly for this food source, scavenging dungeons and sewers alike. Rust monsters then consume this metal by first turning the object to rust with a single touch and then eating the remains. The drive to find a source where this food can be found reliably shapes the (relatively short) lives of all rust monsters from the moment that they hatch. Wizards and naturalists alike have studied rust monsters for years, as their unique food source poses many interesting questions about the nature of such beasts. One of the unanswerable questions of this field of study is where rust monsters came from. Over the years, many schools have arisen as to the origins of the creatures. Two of these hold that rust monsters were once a race of warlike beings (similar to the thri-kreen, perhaps) who lived in tunnels somewhat akin to those used by their ancestors today. This, however, is where the similarities in the two theories end. One, favored usually by naturalists, holds that these beings had such a simple society, driven by hunger and war, that, over millennia, they slowly lost the need for language, society, and even the critical thinking exhibited by all sentient races. Over time, this race devolved into the flea-like rust monsters that we know today. This theory is the most widely accepted in the academic community. Another theory, held mostly by more religious researchers, states that the actions of this warlike race angered the gods, who cursed the beings into becoming simple beasts. Although scoffed at by more stoic members of the researching community, this theory has gained traction in gnome and dwarf communities, its members claiming that this was the work of Garl Glittergold or Moradin, respectively. Another school exists in the origins of these creatures exists, yet it is often marginalized in academic communities. This theory suggests that rust monsters were once denizens of another plane of existence who have crossed over to the Material Plane years ago. Although staunchly supported by many, this school fails to mention what plane would create such a unique creature. Thus, as mentioned above, this theory is often ignored by other researchers. However, whatever the origin of rust monsters, it is agreed by all that these creatures are interesting for the sake of research, and such study will likely continue for generations. Physiological Observations Rust monsters are not a species that varies much in size or shape. This is a result of the entire species being capable of parthenogenesis. This means that all members of the species are female, yet have evolved the necessary anatomy to lay eggs that are capable of hatching without fertilization from a male organism. This causes young rust monsters to be genetically identical to their mother. Thus, the identification of rust monsters is a relatively simple science. Rust monsters tend to be about 8 feet long, and roughly 5 feet high. They look similar to large fleas, although they have long feathery antennae and a tail that can often be as long as the body of the rust monster. Similar to fleas, the legs of a rust monster are extremely long and powerful and, as such, a rust monster can jump a distance up to four times its body length. The rust monster is covered by a thick layer of chitin that acts as a natural armor against predators. This carapace reflects the food source of each particular specimen. Thus, most rust monsters are a orange-rust color, showing that the beast mostly eats the oxidized form of iron. However, some rust monsters live in areas where natural stores of copper are greater than those of iron. Although most rust monsters prefer iron to copper, the latter is edible. These specimens that live in copper-rich areas often take a blue-green hue. Rust monster eggs look similar to spherical iron ingots, and are usually just as hard. Thus, such eggs are difficult for predators of rust monsters to find, and nigh impossible to break into. After hatching, rust monster young look similar to large grubs, and are usually the same metallic gray of their eggs. They are covered by a carapace, similar to their adult form, but it is softer and more malleable, giving the larva room to grow. The larvae hatch hungry and immediately go their separate ways to find food. As they eat, the color of their carapace slowly shifts from the dull gray into the more vibrant rust color of the adult rust monster. On average, rust monsters can live up to 20 years. Social and Behavioral Observations Rust monsters are a mostly solitary species and thus there are relatively few instances where one rust monster would have any sort of social experience with another member of its species. The only known instances of rust monster interactions with one another are fights over a particularly large cache of food. These creatures are extremely territorial when it comes to food, an instinct strong enough to override their usual solitary nature. Even the bond between the mother and her children are tenuous at best. Since the eggs of a rust monster are so well protected by both camouflage and its shell, mothers will usually abandon their eggs after laying them. These eggs will usually be laid in an iron-rich area, as the larvae are slow-moving and need more nourishment than their adult form. The only instance of a mother guarding her eggs occurs when a rust monster population has begun to reproduce in a cave system shared with troglodytes. These frog-like predators are the one of the few creatures that can stomach the taste of a rust monster, and will often go after the larvae, as they are easier prey. In this case, a group of mothers will often guard their young until they are ready to fend for themselves. 313

Most rust monsters are known for a relatively mellow temperament. In most cases, rust monsters will ignore other denizens of the tunnels in which they roam. The only instances in which a rust monster will become aggressive are either if the beast is first attacked or if it happens to meet a creature carrying steel weapons or armor. In the latter case, the rust monster will attack the other creature in a blind rage, driven by its constant hunger for ferrous metal. However, these beasts can often be calmed by offering them a small morsel of metal, such as a iron flask or a belt buckle. Unless disturbed as above, rust monsters spend the majority of their lives alone, wandering tunnels and cave systems looking for iron or other metals. These beasts often cover incredible distances in their search, as an adult rust monster can last a month between meals. Although they can move fast in times of danger, rust monsters usually move rather slowly while looking for food, taking their time combing over the floor of caves. Their large antennae sweep over the rock before them, searching for iron deposits. If an antenna happens to graze an ingot, the metal will immediately rust and be devoured by the hungry rust monster. Inter-Species Observations As mentioned above, rust monsters mostly ignore and are ignored by other subterranean denizens. The exceptions to this rule are few, and none more prominent than the case of troglodytes. Troglodytes will eat most things they may come across, including rust monsters. As such, areas with a high concentration of rust monsters will often have a group of hungry troglodytes nearby. Although it often takes more than one troglodyte to take down a fully grown rust monster, the primitive nature of the former leads to singleminded persistence in hunting and eating the latter. As for other sentient species of the world, attitudes towards rust monsters often depend on occupation or even personal preference. For instance, blacksmiths, jewelers, armorers, and others who work with metal find rust monsters to be little more than pests, and constantly fear a group of the creatures discovering their wares. However, many have found rust monsters to be friendly or, in more rare cases, exotic pets. There have been reported cases of certain people finding and taming rust monsters, a relatively easy task due to the beasts' mellow temperament. Through a combination of proper treatment and a surplus of metal trinkets, rust monsters have become companions and mounts to many. In some larger cities, some vendors have begun selling the eggs of rust monsters, although many governments forbid this practice. The only sentient race known to loathe rust monsters are dwarves. Due to their constant use of metal and their love for their weapons and armor, most (if not all) dwarves find the creatures to be repulsive and will often destroy any rust monsters in and around their cities with extreme prejudice. Dwarf children are raised to recognize rust monsters as a threat to their safety and society. DM's Toolkit A single rust monster does not an encounter make. These creatures should be used in order to augment other enemies or with other members of their species to make an unusual battle. Some uses for rust monsters could be as follows: While hunting a troublesome group of troglodytes, the PCs encounter a territorial (and angry) group of mother rust monsters guarding their eggs. A town hires the PCs to take care of a group of bandits on the road outside of town. The bandits are using rust monsters as mounts. The PCs stumble across a cavern in a dungeon filled with cages with dangerous creatures of all sorts within them, imprisoned by whoever controls the dungeon. Two rust monsters have chewed their way out of their cage and are now turning their attention to the other cages... The PCs are captured by a BBEG and dropped in a pit without their weapons but still wearing any metal armor. In the pit is a hungry rust monster. 314

Sahuagin "Fear not the shark, for the true monster is the devil on its back" -- Admiral Kypper, on the deck of the Pride of Io, shortly before his death at the hands of the Sahuagin prince 'Slayer-of-Kings'. Of all the sea-dwelling races, the most prosperous and warlike is the Sahuagin. Feared by all who pass over or beneath the waves, they seek nothing less than total domination of all oceans, and perhaps even the land between them. Dwelling in great cities in oceanic trenches, they live under a savage feudal system, and force even the most peaceful of beings to prepare for war. Physiological Observations and Variants It's difficult to pin down a single morphology for this species, as they possess a high genetic instability, manifesting in extensive mutations, both beneficial and crippling (crippled individuals rapidly succumb to the savage life they were born into, however, and rarely live more than a week past birth). The majority of the Sahuagin that are seen raiding villages are vaguely humanoid, between 6 and 7 feet tall, with piscine-like facial features and a long tail complete with fins. Their hands and feet are extensively webbed, and their eyes seem to be capable of sight both in and out of the water. Like sharks, their skin seems to be darker and mottled on their back, and much lighter on their front, perhaps as camouflage, which would confirm them to be primarily ambush predators. Exact colouration varies greatly from clan to clan, and is thought to be related to their location - Sahuagin found off the coast of Polar Regions tend to be much darker than their warm water cousins. The most commonly observed mutation is an extra set of fully functional limbs - individuals with this boon of fate tend to rise through the Sahuagin hierarchy rapidly, becoming nobles, Barons or Princes. There are conflicting reports as to the frequency of these four-armed individuals, around 1 in 200 being blessed with extra arms. A much less common mutation produces a creature known as a Malenti. This creature is genetically a Sahuagin but outwardly appears to be an Aquatic Elf (their racial enemy), and tend to only appear when a Sahuagin society is in close proximity to an Aquatic Elf colony. Most often, these individuals are slaughtered on hatching, but a few are allowed to mature and are used as spies and infiltrators into Aquatic Elf society. They are feared and respected by other Sahuagin in equal measure. A four-armed Malenti is never allowed to live. There have been reports of Sahuagin that are more shark than humanoid. These mutants have no lower limbs, but a long tail with a shark's caudal fin and a much larger dorsal fin, plus a larger mouth with rows of serrated teeth. They resemble a particularly monstrous merfolk, and tend to be even more savage than their humanoid counterparts. A society of Sahuagin near a shark breeding ground, or that breeds sharks for whatever nefarious purpose, will tend to produce more of these Shark-Blooded individuals than are otherwise normally observed. Finally, Wereshark Sahuagin are sometimes used as elite guards for members of the nobility (Kings and Princes mainly). All other lycanthropic types of Sahuagin are destroyed. A Wereshark King or Queen is revered as a manifestation of the shark god Sekolah and heralds a period of intense war for the society. Social Observations Civilized society might seem like an odd concept to apply to such a warlike race, but Sahuagin crave order as much as they desire war - indeed, they consider themselves the only civilized race. However, they exist in a fragile state of suppressed rage and bloodlust - the smallest provocation can send one over the edge into a blood frenzy, which quickly spreads to nearby Sahuagin. In order to maintain a modicum of order and prevent them from turning on each other, they periodically revel in bloodstained waters - this might explain their penchant for raiding coastal villages and merchant ships, as they care little for material wealth. Sahuagin dwell in cities built in oceanic trenches, mainly in warmer waters at depths ranging from 15 to 250 fathoms. Each city has a strict hierarchy, with strength being the sole determinant of social standing - any individual has the potential to rise to nobility, making no distinction between those born of nobility or of serfs. Even though blood has no bearing on status, they meticulously record the achievements of their forebears within their surnames, and it is widely regarded that individuals with extended lists of martyred ancestors will themselves ascend to greatness. Their given names, when translated to common, tend to be descriptions of past deeds of note, and are frequently changed as they climb the ranks of their society. A kingdom is ruled by a King (or sometimes a Queen), who divides the kingdom into nine provinces, each ruled by a Baron(ess). These provinces are subdivided into smaller regions each governed by a Lieutenant, who normally picks a title for himself. A kingdom can extend along an entire coastline, made up of multiple cities, the largest of these being the seat of power, and housing many thousands of individuals. Sahuagin are hatched rather than born. Females lay clutches of up to 200 eggs in communal hatcheries, which are watched over by Clerics of Selokah, the shark god. Hatchlings are eel-like, do not begin to grow limbs until they are 6 months of age and are fully formed after a year. It is not until this stage that the parents return to claim their young, and until then the hatchlings have a singularly brutal existence as they struggle to assert themselves over their siblings. Occasionally, stronger individuals are plucked early from the hatcheries and are used as entertainment for nobles, fighting one-on-one death matches at important occasions. Their society has very strict gender roles - males are primarily warriors and hunters, while females are clerics and administrators. Some females do join the ranks of the raiders, but a male is never allowed to become a cleric. 315

Clerics of Selokah often lead raiding parties and are second only to nobles in social standing. The single dogma of the church of Selokah is Those who eat and those who are eaten, which is taken rather literally and any infirm or weak members of their race tend to be devoured. Sharks are held in reverence, and are treated as holy animals. Clerics are often shadowed by one or more sharks, to which they feed their sacrifices in order to placate their vicious god. Magic is generally feared amongst Sahuagin, and as such there are no arcane spellcasters among their ranks. Interspecies Observations Sahuagin believe themselves superior to all, and will attack other races with a vicious tenacity bordering on zealotry. They particularly despise Aquatic Elves, and seek to destroy societies of these more peaceful sea dwelling races wherever possible. Merfolk, Koa-Toa and Tritons are also subjects of this racial hatred. Sahuagin are also believed to be the sole reason that Ixitxachitl have not achieved a similar level of civilization, as Selokah and Demogorgon (the Ixitxachitl deity) have long despised one another, and this vehemence spills out into the Sahuagin culture. They are indifferent towards Anguillians, with which they are thought to be related. They stage frequent raids against coastal villages and ships, in order to provide blood for their revels. These raids invariably occur on the new moon, and a thick fog descends on the unfortunate target. The sound of conch shells heralds their charge, and the victims are dragged to the water where they are ritually drowned. Much of the wealth of the village is disregarded, but some items of interest or magical weapons may be claimed by nobles or clerics. The only creatures held in any reverence are sharks, as these are seen as holy animals of Selokah. Sahuagin clerics are known to breed particularly vicious sharks for use as guards and war beasts, and more than one Baron has rode into battle atop an unusually large and crazed shark. Sahuagin have a begrudging respect for most sea-faring predators, and do not actively persecute creatures such as giant squid or Krakens. They do consider the flesh of these species a delicacy, but hunting such beasts is not an easy proposition, as they are equally fond of the taste of Sahuagin. Aboleths are actively avoided, though there are rumours that more than a few Aboleths pull the strings behind the more savage Sahuagin societies. DM's Toolkit Sahuagin are like the drow of the sea - they can be useful nuisance encounters for a coastal or sea adventure, or form the backbone of a longer adventure as a secondary or even primary antagonist. They can be used at a variety of levels of encounter, from small raiding parties at lower levels involving just a few normal individuals, to larger war bands with clerics, barons and other mutant versions for higher level parties. As they are an intelligent race, they can be used in more or less any way the DM sees fit. It is thought that the race is based upon Aztec culture, so any aspects of day-to-day life that I've missed above can be filled in with a little research. 316

Salamander They wiggle they squirm, They Bite they burn, Nasty little fire worm. So kickem and shovem, Right into the oven, For it's the forge they be lovin. -- Old Dwarvish Song Introduction This information was gleaned by contract from a dwarven mining community to further understand and employ relations between them and their few furnaces. The Fire Salamanders had become a danger to the dwarven smiths too close to the bound Salamanders. I spoke to the individuals inside who were eager to break themselves of their bonds. Secondly I was employed by elves suffering forest fires in which it was discovered a band of Salamanders had roamed through igniting all in their path. The local elves halted the group of salamander's advances although the forest will take some time to heal. Fire Salamanders are dangerous and rare beings. Their origins are unknown to us being non-native to our material existence. Born of heat and flame they burn everything they touch and desire nothing more to make the land around them ash to play in. Extremely dangerous to any mortal it is advised to avoid them to the best of one's abilities. Despite their arsonist tendency Salamanders are surprisingly artistic when it comes to metal. They enjoy materials in which they can touch without it melting before their intense heat. A Fire Salamander may enjoy playing with iron as a child may with clay. Physiological Observations Fire Salamanders for the most part resemble a gigantic constrictor snake with a humanoid upper body set ablaze by burning flames engulfing the coils. They have 2 long and strong arms and a crested decorated head. Their heads while snake like in appearance are more flat in the front giving a very humanoid snake hybrid look in their face. All along their bodies' tentacle like flexible spines that flicker like flames. The older the individual the more prominent and ornate these appendages are. The average Salamander may stretch to twenty feet long and at full heights may tower over mortals easily standing 8 or so feet tall. Their arms easily are strong enough to lift a human in 1 hand, if that human could survive standing close to the 300 degree heat they emanate from their bodies. Their hands are dexterous with three finger-like claws and a fourth opposable claw. Fire Salamanders are physically menacing to almost any being. They come from a place called the Sea of Ash as I was told on the elemental plane of fire. They roam the ash and desire to spread its boundaries to all existence. They require a fair amount of heat and avoid colder areas. In our material existence they are usually found in places of extreme heat such as deserts and volcanoes. I have seen no water able to douse their flames as it evaporates before having much affect. I suspect it would take a large amount of water to douse one although I do not know if that would destroy or even harm an individual. Salamanders make no permanent homes and instead roam in bands as marauding looters. They pillage and plunder take for themselves what they deem valuable and incinerate the rest. Their paths can easily be spotted in scorched earth they leave behind. They are strictly carnivores and devour any meat they can. The average Salamander would require 1 pig a week for comfortable nourishment. They see most living creatures as food and eat them as they find them. This makes for dangerous foes to travelers as they often do not care to discuss and only to eat if hungry. They require eating only 1 time every week. When they are hungry they'll eat what they can get and take it by force. They are intelligent enough to avoid eating members of communities as they could suffer repercussions from such actions. Live stalk is another story. Using their high body heat they can smith and craft metal as if they were the furnace themselves. Salamanders can super heat most metals by channeling some of their own heat into their hands. They can mold weapons and armors using this and consider it the highest form of art. As a modeler of clay they work metal with their bare hands crafting beautiful, decadent, and deadly weapons. Most commonly pole-arms and spears are made but they can make almost any weapon commonly used. For this reason sometimes they are bound or employed to service for this very task. While in battle they super heat their weapons enough to keep integrity but also cause severe burning to foes. Salamanders usually have a unique kind of steel on their person that is far more resistant to heat than steel. This metal, I refer to as cold steel, able to be molded by Salamanders with their intense heat and then will seemingly self-cool as a smith would douse a sword in water. The majority of their weapons are crafted using Cold Steel. This steel must exist on the plane of fire but as I only know of its existence because of my research with Salamanders. Social Observations Based on what I could gather Fire Salamanders have a very strict social hierarchy based on age. The older an individual is the more powerful they are and thus superior. They are efficient and driven in their goals to further the Sea of Ash across everything and care little for pleasantries. Fire Salamanders travel in bands of individuals spreading fire and ash everywhere they go. They do not often stay in one place for long other than to explore for riches. A band can consist of a group of only four individuals or up to thirty if order can be kept. No male to female relationships exist aside from the genders existing. Mating is decided when a female goes into heat every two or so decades. Most females end up going into heat at the same time in the band. The eldest and most powerful male is always the father. The band stops on momentarily on their mission to lay the obsidian eggs. Each female will lie between 4 to 8 eggs. Once laid they think no more of them and continue on their conquest. Their leader is always the eldest and rank is always decided by age. It's thought they obtained this mentality from their time amongst the Efreet long ago. The leader also called a Noble hold dominion over his minions and marches on in search for treasure, wealth and power; Most of all power. They reign until they die and the next in line members decide in brutal confrontation the new Noble. 317

Young Fire Salamanders are more commonly known as fire snakes. They hatch with an intelligence that quickly grows into adulthood within weeks although their bodies take almost 50 years. They cannot speak but understand their native tongue, Ingan. They quickly grow into adults in just a year and strike off for riches and the desire to wallow in ash. The eggs are hatched when their internal body temperatures reach their full potential and melt the obsidian hard shells away. As a Fire Snake ages the heat they generate will increase. During this stage they are less dangerous to mortals as their heat will still burn but not more than a hot kettle may briefly. They huddle together in a swarm of Fire Snakes that roam around looking for food. They will instinctively strike out ward in a new direction to find and join up with a roaming noble. The most powerful and strongest Salamanders have lived for centuries. They glow white hot as their body temperatures have reached extreme levels. They are the paragons of Salamander kind and have many followers and more akin to an army then a band of marauders. They are tides of fire that wash upon the shores of life and leave nothing but charred waste lands. Salamanders of the Sea of Ash have a fanatical belief that ash is the true nature of creatures. Their drive to burn things into dust is almost a religious zeal as they spread a trail of scorched remains where ever they go. They travel and strive to burn everything so that they can rule over all just as others ruled over them. This frightening mentality has driven Salamanders across many planes in the multiverse it seems. While they are not organized more than in small bands, left unchecked as a whole they are a serious threat. Relations with Other Species For the most part Salamanders interact with a perceived category of only three groups, Efreet, Azers, and obstacles. They do not care much for the affairs of others and often are solely focused on increasing their wealth and burning everything in sight. They by no means are unthinking destroyers and will barter and trade to maximize wealth. This doesn't ensure that the Salamanders won't attack just that they don't have to search as much for treasures. Communication with the volatile creatures is often difficult as they have no desire to communicate out of their terms; as I found out during the second groups excursion onto the Elven wood. Even if they do desire to they only care to speak Ingan the language of the fire plane. More often than not they'll attack regardless of the situation. They first and foremost hate the Efreet. This was very apparent in the discussions especially with bound Salamanders. In their history a majority of the race were enslaved in their home plane. The Efreet had done so after failing to do the exact same thing with the Azers. They will call any hated enemy an Efreet as the very name of the race is a curse to their lips. Efreetis are given no quarter and attacked with all of their might as a band. I believe the current way of life in all consuming desire for power is wrought of the eons of slavery they endured. Second they despise and distrust Azers. Usually they attribute Azers to be lowly tricksters and are not friendly with them. It is a common belief passed down that it is the Azers fault for the Salamanders' slavery. If the Azers hadn't fought back the Salamanders would have only known freedom. Due to the resemblance to Azers, Dwarves are also not to be trusted and always attacked. Given my contract this matter had made things a little difficult. Third is the group in which all other beings exist. They are merely food and kindle for the Torrent of Ash. If they are not hungry and they are deemed intelligent they ask for treasure or take it by force. They are indeed evil creatures by this standard although it is as malicious as stepping on an ant to them. If a creature proves too dangerous, as dragon for example, they will leave the creature alone for a time and come in force. They do not hesitate to retreat if needed but only to regroup and reassess the situation. When investigating the roving band through the forest I was able to see how they fought. Salamanders fight with a ferocity and vigor as they do so for sport and fun. In victory they play in the ashes of the remains in a bizarre celebration. They are not clean killers and often toy with over matched or seemingly over matched foes. They'll trip and stab in nonlethal ways to prolong the kill and end it when they become bored. They relish a fair fight and seems to blaze to higher heats in the excitement. Salamanders are adept fighters and often train during travel. Sparring and fighting amongst each other is encouraged. One could learn a lot about a weapon from a Salamander if they weren't bent on eating a student and then charring the remains. Due to this passion for the fight they often pick fights with mighty foes such as dragons but will retreat if they find themselves clearly overmatched. This can result in the death of the headstrong leaders eager to prove themselves time and time again. They often when camping fiddle with and repair equipment. Sometimes they even forge new weapons simply on a whim. Many races marvel at their craftsmanship as molding metal by hand is not a common thing. Ornate patterns and designs are common simply because a Salamander was bored. To them molding a weapon would be to fiddle with a stick in the dirt. Sometimes they are summoned for a task for their usefulness as great warriors, craftsman or unfortunately slavery as a furnace. They are summoned much like a fire elemental. Their affinity for heat and fire is well attuned. They despise and plot against their callers. Nothing is more infuriating to them than the suffrage of slavery. 318

Variant s M o s t S a l a m a n d e r s b e h av e a n d a c t t h e i n s i m i l a r fa s h i o n s b u t t h e r e a r e a fe w d i v e r g e n t e n o u g h t h a t I fi n d i n t e r e s t i n g e n o u g h t o d e t a i l. Fire Salamand e r N o m a d s - T h e s e S a l a m a n d e r s a r e w h a t a r e n o r m a l l y d e s c r i b e d a b o v e. T h ey fo l l o w t h e h i e r a r c hy t o a key a n d a r e fi e r c e c o m b a t a n t s. T h ey a r e u s u a l l y r e d i n c o l o r a t i o n w i t h y e l l o w h i g h l i g h t s. Nobles - Often times they are fa r s u p e r i o r fi g h t e r s a n d c a r r y o n t h e i r p e r s o n m a ny m a g i c i t e m s. T h ey a r e v e r y a d e p t fi g h t e r s a n d a r e fe a r e d a n d r e s p e c t e d b y t h e i r l e s s e r. They live much like nomads although sometimes manifest as wonderful Battle Crafters. Ascendant Nobles - Those nobles who have lived eons have grown to a power matched by few. They burn so hot that creatures in any way vulnerable to heat may die just being within a few hundred yards of them. They cut large swaths through their terrain spreading the Sea of Ash with ever step. Fire Salamander Battle Crafters - Usually among the nomads although sometimes they are bound individuals Battle Crafters are talented individuals. They are by far more focused on their craft of metal than any other aspect of life. They make beautiful works of art and deadly weapons. Often times their weapons are imbued with the magic of their spirits and they obtain immortality as they live on in their weapon. The weapons typically can catch flame at the wielder's will and give immunity to fires to them also. The most amazing ability of a Battle Crafter is to mold a weapon mid-fight. They'll run their hands down a blade to elongate it when needed or shorted and widen for heavier strikes. Their craft is a beautiful work of creation in a dance of death. Bound Ones - Often times they are bound by magical means on the material world to a forge to serve as a furnace. Dwarves practice this more often than any other race. They often are bound as children or Fire Snakes and overtime accept the servitude as a fact of life. Sometimes they are able to craft things on their own and it seems to be the joy in their life. Bound ones can also be bound as a protector or warrior depending on the summoner. Ice Salamanders - There lies a cousin in the elemental planes of water of ice salamanders that wield water and ice much as a flame Salamander would. They are very similar in mentality and biology although a few differences are apparent. First their eggs are almost a crystal of ice and shatter upon hatching. They still craft although they make impossibly strong creations of ice. They have a quicker manipulation of ice and only need water to craft with. Ice Battle Crafters exist and are more common then Fire Battle Crafters. DM Tips Salamanders are a nice twist as a cause for something. They often leave destruction in their wake unchecked and can be the climax of a mystery given their battle prowess. They also make for a good RP experience if you ever need a talking furnace. 3 1 9

Satyr When the celebration ended five days later, there were 3 destroyed homes, 10 missing cattle, 1 fire left to be put out, and, in 9 months, 8 new children, but only 3 fathers. Introduction Satyrs are a fey commonly known for their potent wine, lusty natures, and hot-headed ways. Rarely are they settled and seem to express the most extremes of human emotions. For a satyr, each week can be spent drifting between wanderlust, boredom, arousal, and aggression. Satyrs are fantastic company for a drink, wonderful for a day, exhausting after two, and dangerous after three. Human communities near large wooded areas or on unsettled frontiers and those with influential druid circles are the most likely to experience a satyr visitation particularly in the spring. These events are looked upon with excitement, fear, and anticipation. There is opportunity for much merriment, but not without a literal year's worth of headaches afterward. Satyrs themselves seem to eternally wander the earth always looking for a new experience of the mind and body. As well as looking for other to join in on these experiencesthe more the merrier. Physiological Observations Satyrs are not so much a singular type of fey, but more humans who have been turned to fey through a curse. They generally are goat-legged and have horns growing from their heads, but other types have been known to occurdogs, cows, donkeys, and pigs. Their stout constitution makes them resistant to poisons and toxins and, unless under the influence, they have at least one keen sense related to animal that makes up their appearance. Social and Behavioral Observations In the wild, satyrs are typically found alone wandering the land in search of the next rarest experience. Few other beings are able to keep up with their stout constitution, wild mood swings, and inability to stay in one place for longer than a week. More than a few friends of a satyr have been abandoned in the dead of night, killed in a drunken fight, or unable to resist the poisonous component in some new experience. Satyrs make good friends who unfortunately live short lives-- which just gives the satyr more memories to drink to. In civilization, satyrs are found in taverns or as guests of honor are particularly debauch parties. During the day they might be selling small but very potent jars of wine, or if festival time, wine by the cup. During the night they will be telling wild tales of their travels almost always to the very rapt attention of the establishment. They will always pay for drinks and figure out some way to keep the ale flowing all night long. The longer the night goes the tales will be replaced with feats of strength or dexterity. At least one finger is usually lost by the crowd. Variants Children of the Wood- the satyrs folks most commonly know. Male. Humanoid with skin the color of the seasons. Lower half is covered in fur and terminates in cloven feet. Sizeable horns appear on the head. And they have a fondness for food, drink, merry making. Children of Bacchus- these are humans who have either devoted their lives to revelry or were cursed by the fey. These satyrs will have more animal-like heads- dogs, goats, cows, and pigs. They are lazy, loud, and gluttonous. But usually friendly and can make strong mead. Children of the Black Goat- in the darkest corners of the woods, in deep crags, and shadowed valleys live satyr who were once men- and women- that sought the dark knowledge of creation. Though dark rites and horrid fornication they have brought untold dangers into the world in service of the All Abundant- Mother of a Thousand Young. These creatures can produce/secrete a milk of horrid properties, but highly valued in homunculus creation, fertility, and can cause limb regrowth. DM's Toolkit Satyrs can be great NPC companions. They often know 1d4-1 rumors about the location they are currently in. Satyrs will not accept monetary payment for their serves or companionship, but instead will ask the join the party on their adventure. The satyr will leave if nothing interesting has been discovered in 3 days- taking anything interesting from the party with them. Children of the Black Goat will seek to trick, misdirect, or seduce PCs into becoming living sacrifices or wombs for horrid rites in service of the All Abundant. This easier to accomplish because these fey release a strong musk that can drive any humanoid mad with lust (disadvantage to charm saves or removes advantage to charm saves). These creatures also delight in drudging victims then chasing them through the woods with horrid piping creating the fear effect in PCs. Children of Bacchus will either try to rope the PCs into throwing a huge party or helping them get rid of their curse. Either way these lazy creatures will attempt to do the least amount of work. But their friendly nature will aid on any CHA checks the party needs to make. Should PCs throw the party a major Plot Event/NPC will occur at the party. If PCs are caught up in a party thrown by either Children of Bacchus or Woods roll on the Carousing Table (DMG 128) but use d100 + CHA modifier. Satyr stats are also good for any kind of "beast people" you need. The horn damage can be a bite or claw as well. 320

Scarecrow Introduction Luth stood outside smoking, thinking. He had been put in charge of the strangling investigation. He just couldn't figure it out. There were no suspects, no leads, no motives, nothing. As he stood there smoking he felt a sudden chill run down his spine, his sixth sense for danger. That exact same feeling had saved his life in numerous situations. He quickly turned around just as he got grabbed by the throat. When he looked down to see who was crushing his neck, his eyes lit up as surprise, horror and understanding rushed through him. Before him stood a jagged human-like creature made of sticks, straw and burlap sacks filled with sawdust, eyes lighting up with an ominous red glow. Right before the last breath of life was pushed out of his body, he saw a crooked grin appear on the creatures face. Physiological Observations Scarecrows are human-sized constructs, usually constructed using sticks and burlap sacks stuffed with sawdust, straw, grass, leaves, ... . Scarecrows are created by binding an evil humanoid spirit to a puppet. They don't know about their past live. However they do keep a large part of their personality. These spirits often belonged to horrible serial-killers, psychopaths, evil cultists, ... . The only features that show the living qualities of the puppet are their glowing eyes. Depending on the level of autonomy given by its creator (usually hags or witches), Scarecrows tend to upgrade their body to more suit their preferred way of killing. There have also been reported cases of golemsized Scarecrows. Their shadow leaves all investigators and scientist confused. They don't cast a shadow resembling their current form, but the form they had in life. Social Observations Their behavior comes from a mix of the creator's orders and the spirits way of doing things. Scarecrows made by the same creator will work together if ordered to. Scarecrows made by different creators will act according to the relation between the 2 creators. So if 2 Scarecrows of different creators cross paths they will either keep on executing their order or fight until one is completely destroyed. Behavioral Observations Scarecrows are reported to do anything to execute their order, so it would be wise to stay clear of the creatures. As long as their creator lives they will protect them at any cost. However the really interesting part about a Scarecrows behavior is the way the spirits past influences its behavior. For example a serial killers spirit will remember its preferred way of slaughter. It will remember that it liked to torture its victims by slowly cutting them up into little pieces and thus the Scarecrow will also cut its victim up. I warn all readers to be careful with any scarecrows you see on your travels, even if at a first glance they don't seem to be horrible creatures they could just be hiding their presence. They can extinguish their eyes, cease all movement and try to ambush you. Magical users can still feel their presence if the check them for magical traces. The most curious and unpredictable behavior happens when a Scarecrows creator dies. The Scarecrows will usually seek out the attacker and try to kill them. When that task is complete they go rogue and will often take to their evil ways again. Rogue Scarecrows will also start getting flashbacks of their past, allowing them to sometimes get revenge on the people that caused their demise. Inter-species Observations They act hostile towards any other living creature with exception to their creators, other Scarecrows and potential minions from the creator. Some spirits will allow a rogue Scarecrow to interact with other like-minded individuals such as cultists, criminals, ... . -DM- If you want this to be possible you'd have to give them a way of communicating. I often opt to give them mimicry. -DMDMs toolkit Believe it or not you can do quite a bit with Scarecrows. Extreme bodyguards, stalking midnight horrors, inhuman serial killers, vengeful spirits, nightmarish watchdogs... The vengeful variant: When your players have just killed a witch or a hag. Have them notice shadows creeping around them the next couple of nights. Then when the right time comes the intelligent Scarecrow will try to sneak attack a target that is alone. In the form of trying to slit a throat while its target sleeps. Or attacking from the shadows when a target let its guard down. The rogue Scarecrow: I just love these. Instead of using a normal Scarecrow, you can decide to use a stronger, more creepy version. It also has no attachments to a creator making them unpredictable. The last task: Possibly a quest in a town where people have been getting killed shortly after burning a witch at the stake. 321

Shadow "If you ever feel your strength waning in the black of night, set a light, say a prayer, and pour your holy water on your shadow. For you, quite possibly, are dealing with a dark force aiming to quench the light of your very soul." -Father Mateo Fernando Del Luz, Priest of Pelor, on exorcising demons, aberrations, and the undead. Introduction The Shadow have been a curse on life since the first evil mortal took its last breath, birthing the first Shadow into the world of light. They appear as mounds of darkness, formed in a warped shape of the mortals they once were. It is unknown why or how the shadow came to be, though many theories have come regarding their initial creation. Many arcane scholars believe them to be a masses of necrotic energy that gained sentience by using the soul of an evil mortal as a sort of conduit and mold for self creation. Holy men believe them to be the evil in a man's soul, free from its mortal frame. No matter the method of their initial creation, these creatures now exist only to hunt and extinguish the life of good men and women from this world, raising maleficent shadows from their bodies. Leaving us with the words of wise men to live by. A single light may lead through the darkness, but the shadow cast will always be. Physiological Observations When mortals of evil hearts and souls die, a shadow splinters away, taking with it a hatred for life and light. These creatures do not breed in a typical sense. Instead, the consume the life and strength of good-hearted men and women, and when there is no more life, a shadow is born from their bodies, and it seeks out more good-hearted men and women to continue the cycle. A Shadow's body seem to nothing more then moving darkness to most, but upon closer inspection, one can tell that their bodies are actually a semi-solid mass of necrotic energy. Which would explain how they are capable of sapping the strength of men by simply touching or embracing them. These bodies not only allow them to attack their prey by such simple measures, but allow them to move through spaces and openings as small as a coin. What is still being discussed is how this necrotic mass is capable of creating a set of eyes that allow the shadow to see and react as far as any man can. Some have theorized that it does not simply see light as we do, but that they instead see darkness in a similar fashion. Social Observations Shadows have no social structure that can be observed, so it is safe to assume that there is none to be found. When observed together, they do not react to one another, even when hunting the same target, though they do seem to travel in similar directions when no life is present. Though this may be more due to the fact that both sense life in a similar direction. Because of this, shadow hordes are a possibility, but they are in no way proof of any social organization. Behavioral Observations Shadows exist only to hunt down life and extinguish it. They continue to move in the darkness at all times, and immediately descend on life as soon as it sensed. They seem to ignore traps and obviously stronger creatures. They pay no heed to their own existence, or the existence of any creature other than their prey. Intra-Species Observations Because Shadows ignore both undead and evil creatures, they are many times controlled by both powerful undead creatures, such as a Lich or Vampire, and evil beings, such as evil Mages, Clerics, and Dragons. In fact, many of these creatures attempt to breed hordes of Shadows by kidnapping mortals with good souls to birth new shadows for themselves. Variant Species Shadows that have managed to kill unique mortals have created very, and very dangerous variants of themselves. Here is a list of unique shadows that have been either directly seen, destroyed, or rumored to exist. Giant's Shadow: In the rare case that a good-spirited giant is caught and killed by a horde of shadows, a Giant's Shadow is born. These Shadows stand an upward of twenty-six feet tall, and can have the fortitude of ten shadows put together. Pegasus Shadow: Though it is still only a rumored sighting, the Pegasus Shadow can be a very dangerous creature to meet. Twice as fast and three times as hardy, this Shadow can kill a man before he even has the chance to react to what has happened. Hence why it is still only a rumored sighting. Merfolk Shadow: Deep in the ocean, where darkness reigns, there have been stories of entire Merfolk cities disappearing to the darkness. Now, there are many stories being brought to shore of Merfolk Shadows swimming up to ships and attempting to drag sailors into the dark below. More research is needed into these stories before a course is action is decided. 322

D M ' s To o lkit S h a d o w s c a n b e o n e o f t h e m o s t d a n g e r o u s o p e nin g m o n s t e r s t o a n e n c o u n t e r fo r pla y e r s, not because of the danger posed themselves, b u t b e c a u s e o f t h e s t r e n g t h d r ainin g e ffe c t t h a t c a n m a d e o f g r e a t u s e t o o t h e r e n e mie s. U nle s s y o u'r e u sin g a h o r d e o f s h a d o w s o r a s p e cial, more powerful shadow, they should act as th e fir s t w e a p o n s e n t o u t b y a n in t ellig e n t e n e m y. Sometimes as traps for wandering adventurer s, other times as a first wave to weaken the playe r s b e fo r e s t r o n g e r e n e mie s c o m e t o a t t a c k. A n y w a y y o u h a v e t h e m b e u s e d, t hin k o f h o w t h e y c a n b e m a d e u s e o f e ffe c tiv ely ( o r n o t, if t h e e n e m y is n o t s o b rig h t ). Depending o n t h e kin d o f e n e m y t h e y w o uld b e fa cin g, I s o m e tim e s c h a n g e d t h e a t t rib u t e d a m a g e t h e y c a u s e d t o fit b e t t e r wit h a n y c r e a t u r e m a kin g u s e o f t h e m. C o n s tit u tio n fo r c r e a t u r e s w h o a r e fo n d o f u nle a s hin g p ois o n s ( wit h b ein g r e d u c e d t o 0 C O N killin g a pla y e r ). Dexterity for creatures that want to paralyze an d c a p t u r e t h eir vic tim s ( a 0 in D E X, o f c o u r s e, leaving a player paralyzed). Or damaging a pla y e r s m e n t al a t t rib u t e s t o c a u s e s o m e s o r t o f fu n e ffe c t ( a 0 in IN T w o uld m a k e t h e m a v e g e t a ble, WIS would leave their senses worthless, and CH A w o uld le a v e t h e m m a d ). And if worst comes to w o r s t, y o u c a n alw a y s m a k e a t r a p t h a t u nle a s h e s a h o r d e o f s h a d o w s o n t h e pla y e r s / a t o w n / c a s tle / e t c. T h a t c a n b e u s e d a s a plo t p oin t t o e vil a n d p o w e r ful enemies. 3 2 3

Shield Guardian "A Shield Guardian? Why would I need a Shield Guardian? No one would be foolish enough to attack Azorax the Immortal!" -Azorax the Surprisingly Mortal Introduction The Shield Guardian: an enormous hunk of metal that may just surpass dogs as man's best friend. Tall, humanoid protectors, these constructs stand unfaltering and unwavering, steadfast in their duty to protect their master. And occasionally brutalizing their master's enemies. When you need someone to take a fireball for you, the loyal Shield Guardian will not hesitate. When a barbarian decides your head would look better on his trophy wall, the fist of the Shield Guardian shall make short work of him. When an assassin has poisoned your food... maybe you need something a bit more refined. Physiological Observations A Shield Guardian is a man-made construct whose form is impossible to pin down. Most commonly, they are formed of metal or other durable substances, and stand at just larger than human height. However, this can vary. Shield Guardians can be created from almost any solid material, and in any form. Some have the appearance of animals; some are simply bizarre hulking masses given purpose. All have one thing in common, which defines them as a Shield Guardian: their sole purpose is to guard the life of whoever possesses their binding object. Usually something small, easily wearable, yet also concealable, such an amulet or a ring, this object defines a Shield Guardian's master. The Shield Guardian will obey the wearer without question, throw itself into danger to protect them, and never leave their side. To create a Shield Guardian, a complex ritual, the exact details of which are jealously guarded, must be performed, usually by a trained wizard. The components of this ritual are used in proportion to the size of the construct's body. Theoretically, with enough ingredients, there is no limit to the size of Shield Guardian one could create. The ritual not only binds the construct to an object, but also gives it certain magical abilities. All Shield Guardians have slight precognition abilities, allowing them to perceive danger to their master, even before any sign is apparent. They also gain the ability to absorb blows that would harm their master into their own, much sturdier, body, albeit only from short range. Coupled with their capability to sense their binding object from anywhere on the same plane, a Shield Guardian makes for a formidable shield. There have also been reports of Shield Guardians who can store magic within themselves, but they are as of yet unconfirmed. Social Observations Shield Guardians, while intelligent enough to obey their master's commands, have no free will of their own, and no creativity or emotions. They understand all languages, but cannot speak themselves. Like most constructs, they lack the capacity to understand anything more than simple commands. Behavioral Observations Shield Guardians appear to be utterly devoted to their masters; this is only half true, for a Shield Guardian obeys any who wear its binding object. They do, however, obey that wearer to the best of their abilities. In their default state, they simply stay at their master's side and protect them from all detectable harm. If given commands though, they will override all else, even if it means letting their master be injured. If no living being wears their binding object, a Shield Guardian simply ceases to live. They revert to being an inanimate object, as they were before the ritual that created them. Some Shield Guardians have been known to lie dormant in this way for centuries before being awakened. Economic Observations Because Shield Guardians do not discriminate between their original creators and anyone else who wears their binding object, some less secluded wizards have taken to selling them. They charge exorbitant prices, in exchange for giving royalty or other important figures their own flawless bodyguard. In larger cities, the more entrepreneurial wizards have set up entire factories, mass-producing the constructs with cheap labor and materials. DM's Toolkit Shield Guardians are the ultimate jack-of-alltrades. They can take whatever form you need them to, from the hulking brute who dominates an encounter, to cannon fodder that protects the wizard. Since they're so easily sold, practically any enemy can have a Shield Guardian or two. Even a kobold could have found one lying dormant in a dungeon. They also provide a fun incentive for the PCs to think more carefully in combat. If they can take out the enemies without harming the binding object or the Guardian itself, they just earned themselves a shiny new companion. It allows a reward to combat that's already built in, instead of feeling like it's tacked onto the end. I also mentioned that some Shield Guardians can store spells. It's awfully fun to hit the party with a surprise polymorph just when they think they've won. 324

Skeleton From the desk of Thaele Duskwalker, The Ghost-Caller, Exarch of the Undying Hand, Licensed Necromancer. The following is a collection of notes made, the foundation of which is taken from previous studies, with further observations made in an attempt to gain a better understanding of the subjects. Introduction A mundane skeleton is no stranger in form or function to any who walk this world long enough to know of death, but an Undead Skeleton is not encountered quite as often, though they are fairly common as far as Undead go. A Skeleton has a mechanical nature virtually identical to that of a person, though whoever they were in life is gone. There is no soul there, and rarely any sense of self, only the dark magicks that animate them. Skeletons are easily animated, and make fairly good foot soldiers and guards if kept under their creators will, and because of that they are encountered anywhere that one might find magic users, and sometimes even 'naturally' occurring in places that are abundant with necrotic energies. Physiological and Archaeological Observations A skeletons physiology is typically the same as the base creature it was made from, though there are some things to note here. First, humanoid skeletons are by far the most popular to animate. This is due to the fact that they have the form needed to effectively make use of the very same things we make use of ourselves, and especially arms and armors, often taken from the very soldiers that were killed to animate the skeleton in the first place. Skeletons can, in theory, be formed out of collections of unmatched bones, or even bone shards. A skilled Necromancer who is in dire need of a skeleton can piece one together from any collection of solid bones, even if he is given only femurs to work with, because Steve Carlsburg sent the wrong crate to his tower and then claimed it was an accident....But it is far easier to simply animate a preexisting and as intact as possible skeleton. Some people, especially those unaccustomed to magic, when first presented with a Skeleton, will comment on its lack of muscles, tendons, or any other flesh, and become confused about its methods of ambulation. (Authors note: I find it odd that people are more easily able to accept that a pile of bones has a consciousness than a system of movement that they cannot see with the naked eye) Some people simply go 'its magic!' as if that were the explanation itself, as though asking 'where is the smoke coming from' should be answered with 'its fire!' While technically a true answer, like the source of smoke, the simple answer is not the most important part! During the casting of the spells needed to animate a Skeleton, you must create a system of energies, which I refer to in my personal notes as the Necrotic Nexus. From a central point, typically around the mid-spine, you make the Nexus, and from there, tendrils of Necrotic energies are infused into the bones, mimicking natural tendons and musculature. Raising the skeletons of other creatures is possible though, and can often be quite helpful. A skeletal warhorse knows no fear, requires no food, no rest, and is still intelligent enough to make minor decisions on movement if the rider finds himself distracted. Social Observations Untamed Skeletons have a strict dichotomy with their behaviors towards other creatures. They do not interact with other Undead in any way, with few exceptions, but will viciously attack any living creature. Any living creature that they become aware of is instantly attacked. Like many Undead, Skeletons are driven to destroy any living thing they can. Just as water quenches fire, the Necrotic energies flowing through a Skeleton seek to douse the spark of life in others. Behavioral Observations Skeletons behavior will change from these standards in ways that have caused many a layman to speculate that Skeletons retain their former selves, maybe even still carry the same soul! This is of course ridiculous, and heart breaking to think about how many people have died trying to reason with a Skeleton. The source of these misinformed notions is the fact that Skeletons will sometimes carry with them a very, very basic memory of what their former occupant did in their lifetime. The bones of a miner may pick up a pickaxe and start hammering away at stone. A ball in which the guests are all turned into Skeletons may find itself hosting a dance of the Undead, until a living person shows up and is attacked, and then back to the eternal dance. I cannot stress this enough: THEY ARE NOT PEOPLE. If there is one thing and one thing only that you take from my notes on these entities, let it be this. Skeletons are not people. They do not have true memories, they do not have a soul, they do not love or feel at all. They will kill you if you attempt to reason with them. Intra-Species Observations The only time Skeletons directly interact with one another is if they are playing out a shared past activity, such as two dance partners. Otherwise, they ignore each other just as they ignore all other Undead. Variant Species Skeletons are as varied as creatures that have a skeletal system. Even more so, in fact, since you can augment them with further magicks. The most common types are Humanoid, Minotaur, and Warhorse, but others are possible. I myself have been working to create a more intelligent humanoid Skeleton, and have heard of Skeletons who have a system of congealed blood that has been shaped into a sort of tendril, allowing them to strangle targets from afar. 325

DM Toolkit Base Skeletons are a fairly cliché enemy, with good reason. A few standard skeletons can pose a real threat to low level groups, because unlike some undead (like zombies) they have enough awareness to use some basic strategies and follow out specific orders better. They can also be used for some emotional impact if you play up the fact that these things used to be people. That said, once the group gets a bit confident in their skellington bashing abilities, it may be time to change things up. The 5e MM (and the past ones have more I'm sure) has the Minotaur Skeleton which is bigger and tougher, but also feel free to get creative. Remember that since Skeletons are made by magic, further magical alterations don't necessarily have to make sense from a natural standpoint, as long as the wizard that made them could be capable of it. I recently employed self-destructing skeletons against my party, they would charge, tackle, and burst into acid. Skeletons that are smarter, esp if they can cast even simple spells, could throw your groups strategy off, if they were relying on outsmarting them. Skeletons with iron-bands on the bones will make them harder to smash if they are going for brute force. Natural animals have to have some logic behind them, but Skeletons just have to have been made by a wizard with the right spells to augment them in such a way. Be wary of getting too crazy if your group has magic users- the second I see a skeleton with powers that my skeletons as a player don't have, I will want them, and it can be really sad to hear well, you just can't okay? Instead try to balance it out in other ways, for instance, gold cost, or needing a lvl 5+ spell to animate one of the fancier undead, etc. 326

Slaad "No one deserves to be treated as such! Forward, my kin! Let us smash the authority of these Tyrants! In the name of Kaos!" -- Excerpt from Pregaturrion Alphamergius famous "March of Freedom" speech. Introduction Chaos personified. The Slaadi are alien creatures that seeped up through the cracks in the multiverse to ride the winds of chaos. They are native to Limbo, the plane of chaos and uncertainty. Many theories have speculated on their origins, although no concrete evidence was ever found. Some speculate that the Primus, Overlord of the Modrons meddled with Limbo, accidentally creating the Slaadi. Others have speculated that the plane of Limbo dislikes being inhabited by beings with Lawful minds, who can shape it in ways it finds undesirable. The Slaadi are its bulwarks against such changes. Other more conservative thinkers have hypothesized that the Slaadi are merely another race of humanoids, and no more special than elves or trolls. Physiological Observations All Slaadi resemble humanoid frogs, although using the term "always" to describe a race as chaotic as this is always a gamble. Slaadi come in four main varieties, which can grouped together into two main categories. These categories are Lesser Slaadi and Greater Slaadi. Lesser Slaadi are the two primary types of Slaadi, red and blue. Red Slaadi are hulking beasts, with smooth hides ranging from blood red to amber. They are equipped with long claws and small eyes, as well as large bellies. Blue Slaadi are slightly larger, with hides ranging from cobalt to turquoise. They do not possess claws, but instead large bone spines that grow out of the back of their hands. Their hides are not as smooth however, instead being pockmarked with irregular growths. Greater Slaadi traditionally come in two varieties, Grey and Green. Green Slaadi have backward facing joints and large whiskers growing from their lower lip. They also possess spotted, bumpy hides and small horns that sprout from above their eyes. Gray Slaadi are smaller than their larger brethren, possessing marbled hides, bony spines down their backbones, and small vestigial wings. Red, Blue, and Green Slaadi are born from humanoids. Red Slaadi are born when the parent injects a parasite into a humanoid host. The egg germinates over several months, before erupting from the host's chest, killing them instantly. This hatchling grows up to be either a Blue or Green Slaadi. Blue Slaadi instead infect their victims with their natural pathogens, causing them to become afflicted by a disease known as Chaos Phage. This eventually kills those afflicted with it, transforming them into Red or Green Slaadi. Gray Slaadi are not born, but instead they are the result of a Green Slaad's magical research. All Green Slaadi search for the secret to unlocking their true power. When they find it, they transform into Gray Slaadi. However, sometimes they accidentally come in contact with the Negative Energy Plane. This morphs them into Death Slaad, a cruel parody of the Slaadi's free spirited existence. Social Observations Slaadi are native to the plane of Limbo, a place where the geography is not fixed and the atmosphere is constantly changing. This is a very scary atmosphere, so Slaadi cling to each other. They form into family groups, each one led by a single leader. These leaders are one that has been selected by majority vote. These leaders sometimes reign for years, or sometimes they only last for several days before the group decides to appoint a new leader. However, these votes sometimes take place when other Slaadi are distracted, so a leader may find themselves having been appointed without their knowledge. Usually they accept their position. However, sometimes a leader will refuse to accept the responsibility. This usually means another vote, but if the band cannot decide on another leader, they will try to wait out their new leader's resolve, until they accept out of peer pressure. Additionally, every Slaadi has a job. Red Slaadi are scouts and hunters, ranging far from the group to investigate before returning to report pack. Blue Slaadi are the warriors, defending the Reds and the leaders. Green Slaadi are priests, shamans, and bards. They delight the leader with songs, keep the history of the group, or perform sacred rights. Gray Slaadi are usually leaders, and when they are not they are Sages and Scribes, traveling the cosmos in search of knowledge. Slaadi also all consider themselves part of a vast, cryptic social hierarchy called "The Scene". Every Slaadi has a ranking within The Scene, which determines its social standing. The conditions for going up or down are confusing, and often change by the day. But several never change. Fighting. Slaadi will often ambush each other, trying to intimidate each other into surrendering. Slaadi that surrender go down, while the winners go up. However, if a loser fights back, they do not go down. It is not important to win, only to fight. Collecting. Slaadi collect items that have significant intrinsic value. They do not value usefulness, but reputation. A magic sword that shoots fire may mean nothing to them, while an ordinary sword used to slay a Death Slaad will be desired by many. Breeding. A Slaad that sires many offspring will rise high in The Scene. Maintaining the role that their type is supposed to fill. Death Slaadi are not part of the Slaad Scene, for various reasons. One is that they are very uncommon. The second is that they do not consider themselves part of the hierarchy, and often specifically go out of their way to flout it. Death Slaadi usually bind other Slaadi to them through either manipulation or fear of death. They are the self appointed Overlords of all other Slaadi, and they kill anyone who disagrees with their role. As such, they are universally hated by other Slaadi. 327

Behavioral Observations Slaadi have no fixed homes, and travel in groups from location to location. They hunt along the way. Greater Slaadi travel at the front of the group, navigating as best they can. They can also use their higher intelligence to shove aside fire and other hazards. They also amuse those who are not hunting with songs and stories. When they settle from a day of traveling, Slaadi compete among each other to determine everyone's daily standing. Others swap or steal items from each other. If they encounter another band of Slaadi, they may fight to determine their standing relative to the other group. However, if the leader does not feel like that they could defeat the band, they may pass each other by. However, even if they fight, pains are taken to not kill the other Slaadi. With the exception of Death Slaadi, all Slaadi consider all others of their species to be distant kin. Inter-Species Observations The only race that Slaadi regularly encounter are Modrons and Githzerai. Modrons, as axiomatic beings of pure law are attacked on sight. Most Slaadi cannot explain this urge, just that it is overpowering. This could be interpreted in more normal terms as a deep loathing for beings of pure law. Githzerai are respected as powerful warriors. They are also valued by Greater Slaadi, as their psychically constructed monasteries are excellent landmarks. DM's Toolkit Slaadi are criminally underused, despite their apparent flexibility. However, unless you want the party to come off as a bunch of murderhoboing scum, using chaotic neutral enemies against them kind of compromises the Good vs Evil narrative most campaigns rely on. So, thinking of uses for them is difficult. In other words, I hope you appreciate this. A Green Slaadi is talking to a Nothic. The Nothic is being uncooperative, and the Slaad begs the party for help convincing it to trade some of its magical secrets. A Grey Slaad is sitting on the public green of a village. It is studying the inhabitants of the village, attempting to discern information from these alien creatures. The villagers are panicking, but the Slaad is non-hostile unless threatened. A Death Slaad has invaded the material plane, and is dragooning hordes of Blue and Red Slaadi to serve as its armies. A Group of Slaadi have encountered some shepherds, and have attacked them. They wish to free the sheep, as they view the Shepherds as brutal tyrants. 328

Specter Gareth threw his back against the wall, panting hard and crying as the fear and adrenaline surged through him. That thing... Adara's sword had gone right through it like mist and it had reached its hand inside her chest and then she had screamed.... But his little magic dagger had hurt it, or something...it had felt like cutting through water, but it dropped Adara at least -Adara's body- and Gareth ran and didn't look back in case he saw it following him.... He clutched the dagger tightly to his chest and peeked around the corner. Nothing. Alright, three deep breaths and then break for the exit. And if that monster comes back it can have another taste of the dagger. 1...2... He set his jaw, took a last breath, and a pale form ghosted noiselessly around the corner in front of him. The dagger dropped from nerveless fingers and clattered desolately on the stone floor as Gareth stared at Adara, her face twisted by pain and rage, reaching out to him with terrible promise, and he never saw the ghostly hand that came out of the wall behind him, passed through his back like dreadful ice and stopped his heart. Introduction Specters are incorporeal undead formed from the spirits of those whose anger and hate prevent them from moving into an afterlife when they die. Like Ghosts, Specters are intelligent; unlike Ghosts, which regenerate over a period of time unless the unresolved issue that keeps them from death is solved, Specters have no unresolved issue. They are one-shot balls of hate against life itself, draining life force from their victims, instantly destroyed by resurrection magic. They lair in dark places where the sun doesn't reach, as its light renders them nearly helpless; a few particularly ambitious Specters stalk the surface at night, returning to a safe spot during the day or simply melting into the ground to avoid the sun's rays. As any humanoid a Specter kills rises as a new Specter under its control, a single Specter can turn into a massive danger if it gains access to a populated area. Physiological Observations Most adventurers struggle to satisfactorily describe the appearance of a ghostly body hanging in the air before them: like smoke, only more solid; like a thin gossamer fabric, only a whole person of it; like a memory of a person, like you turned the lamp down on them being there, on them being real. Specters appear as faded, transparent manifestations of their former selves, although Specters of humanoids who died in terrible fashions often bear exaggerated wounds that reflect the manner of their horrific deaths. Their faces are twisted masks of rage, and they move unnaturally quickly, floating across the ground far faster than all but the fleetest of their prey. Social Observations Although Specters are quite intelligent, the entirety of said intelligence is bent towards the eradication of life, leaving very little interest in socializing. Multiple Specters might work together to more effectively hunt the living, but they share no sense of camaraderie and each considers itself an independent agent of unlife. A Specter's Spawn are considered a part of it and treated like extra appendages; on the controlling Specter's death, each becomes independent and begins pursuing the end of all life it can find. Although a highly trained or experienced adventurer might be able to tell a Specter Spawn by its slightly weakened abilities, they are otherwise identical to an autonomous Specter, operating with the same cunning and malice as their controllers. Over very long periods of time, controlling Specters can develop telepathic bonds with their Spawn, making them particularly coordinated and dangerous. Behavioral Observations Specters exist for a single purpose: to create death from life, and if possible twist it into undeath. Unlike Ghosts, most Specters are not tied to a particular location but many choose to stake out an area as a lair, especially if the area receives a dependable traffic of living beings and advantageous terrain for the Specter to use. Old buildings with evil pasts, treacherous swamps, or temples to vile gods might house Specters, and some particularly evil beings might seek out Specters to cohabitate with. In combat, Specters are terrifying apparitions that move at lightning speed and ignore armor as they sap the life force from their opponents, and on a successful kill a Specter may retreat to allow its Spawn to rise before rejoining the fight. A living creature wishing to treat with a Specter must make immediate and prominent display of a very good reason that the Specter ought not kill it, and even then should be quick with its business if it wishes to remain alive. Although Specters possess a Fly speed, whatever years they spent alive tend to leave a behavioral impression. Most Specters hover about a foot above the ground, gaining or losing altitude as they move but returning to that as a base height. Extremely old Specters may have lost the contrivances of life altogether and spend most of their time flying, commanding hordes of Spawn below them. 329

Inter-Species Observations Specters feel no kinship to mindless undead, treating them as any other hazardous terrain that might hinder those that they hunt. Specters may use undead of mid-range intelligence - Ghouls, occasionally Shadows, etc.- like humans might use highly-trained packs of dogs, moving swiftly through obstacles to cut off fleeing enemies and round them up to be dragged down by the ravenous horde, although they do not direct others, merely capitalize on their presence. The only other undead Specters have been seen to actively coordinate with are Wraiths, and the horror of an attack by these combined undead -as every surface reaches out arms of darkness that steal the strength from your limbs, and vengeful shadows appear with ghostly swiftness to drain the very essence of your life -is not something many adventurers have lived to have nightmares about. Specters will take commands from more powerful, plotting undead such as Liches or Vampires so long as they receive a relatively steady supply of living creatures to kill, and a Specter serving an old or powerful master might accumulate a horde of Spawn that can make its lair particularly deadly. Although it is not unheard of for a Specter to entertain the presence of a living creature without killing it, said creature would have to provide a use to the Specter that far outweighed the cost of letting life exist within its demesne; most areas inhabited by Specters are completely devoid of life. Powerful monsters that might kill intruders without giving the Specter a chance to turn them into Spawn are of no use to the Specter, and those without magical attacks must flee or have their life sapped away. Humanoids - potential Spawn- must be doubly useful to the Specter, either through an intention to create a catastrophic amount of death, or by providing tribute of living souls for the Specter to take. But this is a purely practical arrangement, and any creature that intentionally spends time with a Specter courts death at its unknowable whim. Animals can sense the hateful presence of a Specter and must be forced to approach it by a trained handler. Any animal not so attended in the presence of a Specter flees, even if it would otherwise defend a lair, nest, or companion against impossible odds. Variants Guard Specter: Although most Specters arise unintentionally, some particularly vile necromancers have undertaken to create artificial Specters. Cruel torture combined with the proper necromantic spells create beings that loathe the living but lack an independent goal to seek life out: these creations are often left to guard secret laboratories or awful workshops. These Specters lack the Create Spawn ability and have the Mindless trait, but gain the Lifesense ability in order to better track down intruders. Child Specter: The innocence of a child twisted into a Specter's hate for all life is a terrible thing. Born of children killed in horrific manners, these Specters emit a constant cry that wrenches at the soul of those who hear it, causing them to take a -1 penalty on attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks. This penalty stacks for multiple Child Specters, as the horror of their short lives cut shorter overwhelms the listener. This is a sonic, mind-affecting effect. Specter Spawn created by Child Specters appears overwhelmed with grief-unlike the normal Specter rage-which persists even if the controlling Child Specter is slain and they become autonomous Specters. Bound Specter: Some Specters are bound, like Ghosts, to a specific place or object-this having been instrumental in or commemorative of their demise. These Specters cannot be fully killed, even by powerful spells, but if slain reform 1d4 minutes later at their bound place or object, and gain the effect of a Scrying spell on the creature that killed them for as many minutes as it took to reform. An item resurrecting a Specter must be destroyed to stop the Specter from returning; a place must be Consecrated or affected with similar magic to stop a Specter from returning, or the particular act that made the site unholy must be undone. Child Specters can set a very nice (not nice) tone for an area if used to define the tone of encounters therein. Guard Specters provide very handy level-locks for certain areas: a lower-level party may be able to cut through the ghouls in the Windmere Catacombs, but when they discover that the lower level is guarded by two Specters they'll need to come back later with new abilities and new equipment if they don't want to be drained to husks. Bound Specters are great for faux-Ghost encounters: provide a backstory buildup, have the players thinking right old wrongs to put the troubled soul to rest, then drop a maniacal killing machine on them. It's a gentle way to remind them never to trust you. 330

DM's Toolkit Disclaimer: I run Pathfinder and used those stats for this analysis. I couldn't find anything about Specters in 5e, nothing on 4e, and the 3.5 version looked pretty identical. Before we start with how to use them, I'd like to take a moment to talk about describing a Specter to your players. I took a long time coming up with what is, to me, an acceptable description of an incorporeal creature: while the image in my head will always be cheesy 80s special effects-slightly green-tinted glow on a semi-transparent person-actually imagining an incorporeal entity standing in front of you in three dimensions is kind of hard. It's not a thing you see in the world that you can extrapolate to fantasy. I advise taking a bit to plan out how you're going to describe it to your players in order to get the full horror value out of it. They're pretty damn creepy if you don't just say then a ghost pops out of the wall. Alright, let's talk stats. My main thing with doing the Specter was to figure out why it was different from all the other incorporeal undead: you want something moving through walls and moaning that your party can't always hit, so why pick the Specter? Because they're really, really scary in combat, that's why. I considered them versus the other incorporeal undead, specifically Wraiths, Shadows and Ghosts. A number of important features popped out at me. Let's start with speed. With an 80-foot Fly speed, Specters are the fastest of the incorporeal undead. How fast? That's right. A Medium character doing a double-move can be overtaken by a Specter starting from the same spot, see it fly ten feet past, then fly back and attack. Also, they go through walls. Also, they have a perfect Fly speed: these guys should be doing loops around lower-level parties when they can afford to give away an AoO or two. Next up, senses. Unlike Wraiths, Specters don't have Lifesense, just Darkvision. Which means that a Specter can travel through walls like any incorporeal creature, but it can't attack from walls very well as it needs to see its target. Combined with its speed and maneuverability, this presents us with a creature that darts around its targets with the inherent advantage of using every dimension-flying above adversaries' reach or going through the ground underneath them-to put increments of damage on individuals that can be singled out. Notice that Specters do energy drain, not HP damage, which means that accumulated hits do reduce the combat effectiveness of the target: Specters harry their targets and slowly drag them down. A Specter with controlled Spawn-which it has no qualm about sacrificing in exchange for a kill-ought to have your party absolutely terrified any time they are passing near a wall or, indeed, standing on a floor. Here's a fun one: although Specters don't have Lifesense, they do have the Blind-Fight feat. Which means a Specter can zoom up to a creature and hit it, endure one attack, then 5-foot step into the floor to take a swipe in the direction of its attacker, rerolling the concealment miss-chance once. It will need to reappear next round to make sure its target hasn't moved, but it's an excellent way to get in two attacks for the risk of one. Remember how I talked about Specters being really scary when combined with Wraiths? Wraiths do have Lifesense, which means in an enclosed space you have 1d6 CON damage coming out of the walls with extremely fast negative-level machines blocking any exit the PCs try to run towards, melting into the walls with a final attack when challenged. One more strength before we get into weaknesses: can't ignore Create Spawn. Specter Spawn arise in 1d4 rounds after the humanoid creature is killed: a party that loses a PC (or beloved NPC) to a Specter in the first place is probably forced to run as another joins the fight. A Specter that is really damaged before it creates a Spawn might even keep the Spawn out of the fight so that when it dies, the Spawn becomes an undamaged Specter with no ability penalties and starts the whole fight over again. Warning: this is extremely nasty. Okay, weaknesses. Specters have great weaknesses: resurrection vulnerability and sunlight powerlessness. The first puts an interesting partial level-cap on Specters: any party with a Cleric level 9 or above is going to have a potential instant-kill on it, so dropping a single Specter on the party, especially if you know the Cleric is packing, is an invitation to make said Cleric feel like a Big Damn Hero without tremendously threatening them. And the corollary: slipping a low-level party a scroll of Raise Dead is a great way to let them take a shortcut out of what could otherwise be a deadly fight. That said, the casting time is one minute: perfect opportunity to give the rest of the party members something to do to distract the horror while the Cleric completes the spell to destroy it. The second one is icing on the cake. Very few spells replicate natural daylight, so this one is almost entirely an environmental effect. Great way to give a low-level party a way to retreat, or a high-level party a way to cut the Specter off from escape. Trap it in a dark room surrounded by daylight and kill it before it remembers it can take refuge in the floor. As mentioned before, learned behavior has most Specters use the floors and walls as routes of transport rather than safe havens: the ones that have figured out safety is only ever a 5-foot step away are the most dangerous and extremely vexing to PCs. 331

Sphinx Introduction Sphinx are the angels of a lost god of a forgotten pantheon. As powerful as dragon and just as covetous, not of gold, but of a substance more valuable and that can sit weightless in the human head. Mortals often flock to the lair of a sphinx in order to receive knowledge, divination, or a riddle to unlock a great secret of life. The recipient of that advisement then often spends their remaining years in pursuit of the answer or meaning. These events have created whole orders of paladins, churches, and just as many monasteries- often for the betterment and worsening of humanity in equal measure. Physiological Observations Bodies of rippling musculature, pupiless eyes full of stars, a leonine grace, and a voice that can seduces lost souls to give up their secrets Sphinx are immense. Even the tallest human, half-bred with an ogre, would only come up half the length of its forepaw. Sphinx are marked by two consistent features. A human or near-human face and chest that terminates into a feline-line hindbody. More often than not, there are also a grand set of wings that can be described as angelic or raptor-like in appearance. This never deviates. Nor does the humanoid appearance. It's always human, never elven or dwarf or halfling. This consistency has often lead scholars to speculate that sphinx are a part of a longdead pantheon. The same consistency has often lead academic heretics to claim they are from a future time, sent to guild the past to a certain point. One interesting note: Viewing a location containing a sphinx with arcane, divine, or any type of magical sight will cause the viewer to only see the face of the sphinx. It looms over the location. All humanoids that give allegiance to the sphinx will seem to have the face of the sphinx. Any attempts to view anything will only reveal the face of the sphinx. Social Observations Sphinx either recruit supplicants to build cities or zealots to destroy them Sphinx appear to be looking for something. No one knows what. Some say a path to god-hood. Others say they are looking for the god they have lost. At any rate there appears to be two distinct social behaviors sphinx manifest: Some sphinx build cities with themselves as a godhead or demiurge. They most publically function as a supreme judge and the head of a vast city-wide church. However their ruling extend to more than just the law, but can also be births, ideas, contacts, and social class. All rulings are final and must be carried out. The human face of the sphinx is 7 eldritch knights and a priesthood who carry out their whim or rulings. To attract newcomers, sphinx send monks out into the world to speak of the city. The goal of the sphinx-centered city is unknown, but the sphinx themselves seem to use it as a vast scrying machine. Sometimes this require the sacrifice of a few citizens or half a block. Most citizens are perfect fine with this as it's a religious duty. Other sphinx shun the building of cults of ego. They claim those sphinx have deviate from the true purpose, the correct work. These sphinx seek knowledge. They seclude themselves in harsh, hard to reach places. They seek more artifacts, books of power, and spells long forgotten. They are attended by 7 human warlocks who agree to take their patronage- each has an pearl embedded in their heads to symbolize this. These sphinx are planer wanderers. They attempt to promote individuals, set certain events into motion, and protect those events to completion. Behavioral & Inter-species Observations The 77 sphinx know of each other as distant relatives do. They don't intermingle. They don't plan together. And they certainly do not share information. The only time they come together is to reproduce, but in no way that matches any terrestrial mating. Instead of creating young, two sphinx perform a ritual where they come together as if walking through a mirror then split apart again. The resultant two sphinx are a mixture of the previous two, but now have completely different personalities. This only occurs when two like-minded sphinx agree that an answer cannot be found without a remixing of what is already known. Sphinx have a fondness, or at least devote most of their attention to, humans. They ignore or drive off other races. For the elves, the alien-nature of the sphinx is always bothersome. Like a razor on the senses. For dwarfs, they just abhor the way all that creative power is wasted seemingly doing nothing. For a human, being in the presence of a sphinx is like being in the presence of a stern parent who never seems to feel one is good enough, but patiently tries to guide behavior anyway. This helps attract and keep many a devoted, but wayward souls (at least for city-building sphinx). For humans who seek sphinx in faraway places, they find their journey is only beginning. In the presence of the sphinx they learn they were fated to arrive and become a hero affecting great change in the world. Variant Species No real variants other than behavioral. Lawful neutral sphinx build cities to attract more people. Chaotic neutral sphinx build heroes to find more knowledge. 332

DM's Toolbox Lawful Neutral Sphinx Sphinx cites are build with them as the center. All roads lead to their place of judgment. No building is taller than their dais. There is still crime, however it's pretty well known by the sphinx. So design laws based on other principles than justice: Everyone can only have 3 of something. Seasons. Equal numbers of thieves guilds, murderers, and merchants. It just needs to be alien. Sphinx cities will also be like fly paper for your PC party. Sphinx will want to keep them in the city walls as a unique feature for scrying. They will send them on endless quests that seem bottomless. Wrap them in riddles with no true answer. So whatever the PCs think is the answergo with that. Let them spin out their own tale. Chaotic Neutral Sphinx These sphinx will build a hero or at least a person who thinks they are doing right. This NPC will be powerful and at best thwarting the PCs plans. At worst, a direct antagonist to the NPCs. So if your group is going after a fabled sword, then the sphinx's hero might be on the same trail. At the climax they might be a complicating factor- a potential ally or the next enemy after the BBEG. 333

Sprite "Venture not into the Hierophant's grove. They say that faeries dwell there. You laugh, but you won't once the sprites' arrows put ye to rest. If they find you wicked, you may wake up in the den of the Hierophant's more dangerous creatures, or you may not wake up at all." --Oswald Inverness, renowned sellsword Introduction Faeries, not fairies, the sprites are fierce protectors, judges, and warriors of their woodland and meadow homes. With their innate invisibility, they silently watch as each individual passes near or through their sacred territory, tiny short swords or shortbows at the ready. They tolerate only those who are truly good and respect the forest. One wrong move and their poisoned arrows will surely put the trespasser to sleep. From there the sprites have complete control. Those offensive to their way of life are killed in their sleep, while those who are ignorant but have potential to learn to respect the woods, are simply moved to a more or less safe area. Physiological Observations Sprites are tiny flying humanoids that sport a variety of wings. Most common are dragonfly wings, in the standard 4-wing formation. Those sprites that dwell in the deep wood however have moth-like wings in intricate patterns of white, brown, and grey. Archdruid Arenduil of the Deepspawn Dredges claims that there are even subterranean sprites, which she describes as having batlike wings, but I have not been able to substantiate this report. Sea sprites are wingless and flightless, and tend to keep to coral reefs. All sprites have what may be described elf-like features (long face, high cheekbones, pointy ears, all that). Although it may be more accurate to state that elves have sprite-like features as elves have Fey ancestry, but sprites are Faeries. Social Observations For all creatures of the Fey, the figurative is the literal, and much thought goes into their naming conventions. Sprites are not named in life until they have done something nameworthy. This name determines a great part of their life's path. For example a sprite that takes to running ahead of her elders, will be named Quella, which is Sylvan for forward or scout, and will have the task of scouting. If this Quella wanted to be a spear-wielding Sprite, she would need to earn the name Elga or Oda which are the Sylvan words for spear. Incidentally, only those Sprites named Averon, Wenric, and Oberon (for the males) or Averna, Wenrid, and Obrea (for the females) can be the leaders of sprite tribes, for these names are all variants on leader, king, or ruler in Sylvan. There is a complex election ritual to determine who will rule each tribe. This ritual is always 1 contender against the 1 incumbent. The contender must publically register his complaints in the form of free verse poetry. Each stanza thematically represents one formal complaint, and must be matched by 1 trial. For example, if Wenrid contests the rulership of Wenric, and includes a stanza on Wenric's cowardliness, then there must be a contest of bravery. Legends tell of poems with 101 stanzas and thus 101 different trials. From my own observations, I have determined that the longer the ceremony the more sprites respect and follow the new leader, if she actually does win the various trials. If there is a contest without a clear winner, a new tribe emerges. For all this ceremony, a tribal leader has few if any real responsibilities. All sprites lead self-determined lives. No sprite waits for a command to drive out violence and evil from their grove, for such commands are not needed and are never issued. Instead, the leader of a tribe of sprites is in charge of communicating with local druids and elven villages in times of need. Like many Fey creatures, sprites love festivities. They can, if they want to, be seen on nights of the full moon reveling in drink and song. It is considered an honor to be invited to another clan's full moon party. Their love of drink is indiscriminate. They love wine as much as elves, and ale as much as dwarves. If a party has a good-aligned bard in their midst, a sprite is much more likely to allow them safe passage through their meadow, but it may cost a song or two. Behavioral Observations Sprites spend most of their days perfectly invisible, following any intruders into their lands, learning their heart's desire. Once a sprite has determined the individual as an enemy, harmless, or potentially helpful he acts accordingly. Enemies are put to sleep with their poisoned arrows and immediately slain, harmless individuals are also put to sleep and then moved away from their lands, while potentially helpful individuals may be contacted for help or left unmolested. Courtesan Seovin, an elf adventurer and mycologist with a strange connection to the archfey, has published his research on the sprite's sleep poison. Derived from the rare yellow-staining milkcap mushroom (Lactarius vinaceorufescens), he calls it an ointment because poison is something cruel and vile to the Fey. To make this ointment, the mushrooms must be harvested and left to cure in the sun for one week and one day. Sprites either hide these mushrooms in tree stumps in meadows, using some sort of basic illusionary magic no doubt, or high atop trees. Once cured, sprites that specialize in ointment extraction then cook the mushrooms in a mysterious concoction, making a sticky savory yellow syrup that causes a deep, dreamless sleep. All arrows in a sprites quiver are coated in this ointment. 334

Inter-Species Observations Shy toward other intelligent creatures, sprites mostly avoid contact altogether. They are most contented among their own kind or among other fey. The notable exception is the noble treant. Sprites have been known to form their groves around a willing treant. Druids of all races are also highly respected by sprites, so long as they have good hearts. Some druids who are in the Circle of the Land have reported that sprites are known to occasionally help aspirants and initiates learn the druidic arts. When the full moon coincides with either the solstices or the equinoxes, sprites join their festivities with satyrs and pixies. These woodland parties are known to last for several days. Although sprites are stout-hearted warriors, evil creatures with an immunity to poison -undead, demons, and devils - strike fear into tribes. Robbed of their main defense mechanism, sprites stay invisible, and seek help from elves, druids, or nearby adventurers. DM's Toolkit Sprites can be added to a large variety of campaigns, regardless of setting or tone, or party makeup. Sprites as quest-givers If you have an archfey pact warlock, then a sprite might be able to indicate what the patron wishes the PC/party do in a given situation. If you have a paladin of the ancients, then a sprite might be a sort of mysterious guardian that gives the paladin quest information. If the PCs are traveling through some dense woods and are lost, the sprites could show them the way, if they defeat a demon that is near their grove first. If you or your players want to explore the possibilities of the Feywild, I'm sure the area sprites would know the best way to get in, and would only give this information to worthy adventurers who collect their mushrooms for them in a dangerous part of the woods. There are several examples in D&D lore wherein characters can use a special kind of wish magic. For instance, if your PCs reach the Infinite Staircase, they can find their heart's true desire if they follow the path to their destined door. A sprite could tell that PC what is truly their heart's desire, for a cost though I'm sure. Sprites as antagonists If you have characters who attack first and don't engage with NPCs, then sprites could be a revelatory encounter. First, they would be judged for their past actions, showing the PCs that their actions have consequences. Second, they'd be put to sleep and brought to a dangerous part of the woods. If your players are seeking an item or artifact in the woods, perhaps it's sacred to the sprites, and they don't want to give it up. It would certainly be challenging to make progress and then suddenly be put asleep, only to wake up in some unknown part of the forest. If the sprites are doing a lot of mushroom harvesting, maybe it's causing a problem with the local myconid population. Varieties of Sprites Deepwood Sprite: wings of a moth, harsher in their judgment, less prone to revelry Water Sprite: wingless, stay in coral reef areas, poisonous javelins (anemone poison instead of mushrooms) Cave Sprite: wings of a bat, darkvision, armed with poisonous darts in their blowguns 335

Stirge "Stirge? They are a plaguing menace is what they are! The little bastards nest anywhere that bats do, and their thirst for blood is a damn sight more predatory! Once they latch on to you, or your livestock, you aren't long for this world, laddie. Listen to your elders and stay out of that cave!" --Ex-adventurer, Galeth Branch, to his son on his 14th birthday Introduction The Stirge (Anophelli Chiropterus) has been the subject of debate among naturalists for centuries. Those who argue that the creature is the product of natural evolution point to its distant cousins, the vampire bat (Diphylla ecaudata) and its own bloodthirst, as well as the stirge's practice of sleeping inverted by the feet, in dark, close quarters. Its mosquito-like proboscis secretes the same numbing agent as the insect species when it feeds, so that victims are unaware of its presence, if they themselves are asleep or unconscious. Those who argue for a magical origin, the product of some wizard's meddling, point to its difference from the bat. Stirge are not blind, instead navigating through infravision, sensing the heat of their victims from over 200 yards away. Stirge are also incredibly strong when latched on to a victim. The talons of their feet are pointed and seem made for piercing thick hide and armor. It takes a very strong man, or several men of average strength to remove a feeding stirge, and often the victim is injured during this process - either being struck by an errant weapon from a friend, or from the sheer trauma of having an 18-inch proboscis being ripped from the flesh. Physiological Observations Stirge, as mentioned, can see heat sources. They will flock to these sources in great numbers; the entire colony will attack one victim in most cases. They do not appear to have a language, but some have theorized some form of chemical communication, as there is a slight acrid smell to the air when the creatures are feeding. (Others have argued that this smell is an oil secretion native to the species, and this is simply a natural skin emollient) This is not to suggest stirge are blind in daylight. They appear to see perfectly no matter what the light level. The stirge is a formidable creature. They flock in swarms in the hundreds, and some have reported seeing huge swarms of more than 1,000 of the tiny, flying beasts. They have a wing-span of slightly over two feet, and can fly as fast as a bat, but with more agility and control. Once they have fed, they detach and fly towards the colony's home, and at this time they are not as maneuverable. The weight of the bloodmeals makes them more slow and sluggish. Social Observations The stirge appear to have social structures much like bumblebees (Bombus terrestris), with a single female serving as Queen, an egg-layer. The eggs are laid en masse, usually 10-30 per month, for up to 9 months a year. In the winter, the Queen goes dormant and all the other stirge form a protective "bubble" with their bodies to keep the Queen warm. The eggs are laid in the stirge's own fecal matter - much like bats, their excretions form large piles beneath the nesting colony. The gestation time is 3 days and then baby stirge hatch. They are weak at birth and need large amounts of blood to evolve into the adult form. This generally takes another 3 days, at which time the stirge will become aggressive and hunt any creature in their territory regardless of size or disposition. After 3 years, the Queen dies and one of the colony stirge has a hormonal burst and evolves into a Queen. The colony usually moves at this point and finds a new lair. This always occurs at night. That is where the similarity with bees ends. There are no specialized roles outside of the Queen. Colony numbers generally range from 30 to 300 creatures. Larger colonies have been observed, but once humanoids discover them, they are aggressively hunted down to more manageable numbers. Behavioral Observations The entire colony hunts whatever prey they can find. There does not appear to be any intelligent design behind the choice of prey. They simply attack what is closest and most vulnerable. Livestock and young humanoids often fit this criteria. Their hunting grounds are usually only 2 miles around the colony. Once an area is drained, they move on, making finding the nests, to destroy them, very difficult for terrified locals. Intra-Species Observations Stirge are mostly a lone species. They are feared by most creatures without a very thick hide to stave off their predations. One of the exception is the Dragon (Draco draconis). A dragon's hide is completely impenetrable to the stirge, and they are often found in or near dragon lairs. The dragon allows this because the stirge are simply the most efficient and alert organisms at keeping the curious (accidental or intentional) at bay. Stirge have also been seen with Umber Hulks, Quaggoth, and Purple Worms. They are found throughout the Underdark, and in any surface area that affords a safe haven - caves, attics, ancient forests, ruins, even on the hulks of wrecked sailing ships. Variant Species Stirge have thrived and adapted to almost every climate. Some of these species have been directly observed and some have only been the subject of rumor or debate. Jungle Stirge thrive in the hot, steamy climates of jungles. They have evolved a paralytic toxin that they inject into their victims that leaves them unable to move until the stirge have all fed, or the victim is completely drained. 336

A r t i c S t i r g e h av e fu r r e d l e g s a n d t h i c ke r w i n g s. T h ey a r e c a m o u fl a g e d w i t h m o t t l e d p a t t e r n s t h a t a p p e a r s a s r o c k a n d s n o w. T h ey a r e l a r g e r t h a n n o r m a l s t i r g e, w i t h a 4 - fo o t w i n g s p a n a n d n e a r l y t w i c e t h e b o d y s i z e. T h ey n a t u r a l l y t a ke m o r e b l o o d fr o m t h e i r v i c t i m s a s w e l l. D e s e r t S t i r g e a r e e s p e c i a l l y fe a r e d. T h ey n e s t i n t h e s a n d s a n d a m b u s h v i c t i m s t h a t w a l k o v e r t h e i r c o l o ny l a i r s. T h ey a r e s m a l l e r t h a n n o r m a l s t i r g e, a n d fe e d l e s s, b u t t h e i r c o l o n i e s a r e a l m o s t 4 t i m e s t h e s i z e o f a n o r m a l s t i r g e. Sleep Stirge have been warped by expo s u r e t o w i l d m a g i c e n e r g i e s a n d c a n i n d u c e s l e e p ( a s t h e m a g e s p e l l ) i n t h e i r v i c t i m s a s a c o l l e c t i v e g r o u p, a n d a t i n c r e a s e d p o w e r. These so-called Dozy Stirge have been observed employin g a r c a n e e n e r g i e s e q u a l t o a m a g i c - u s e r t h a t h a s a c h i e v e d t h e 5 t h l e v e l o f m a s t e r y i n t h e i r G u i l d s, a n d h av e t a ke n d o w n n e a r l y 3 0 h u m a n o i d s a t o n e t i m e. Invisible Stirge are the subject o f m u c h d e b a t e, a n d m o s t r e p u t a b l e s c h o l a r s a n d a d v e n t u r e r s r e fu s e t o b e l i e v e s u c h t a l e s, a t t r i b u t i n g t h e d r a i n e d c o r p s e s fo u n d i n s o m e d u n g e o n s a n d o l d l a i r s t o u n d e a d o r o t h e r p a r a s i t e s. DM's Toolbox Stirge can be built with any number of variatio n s, as outlined above, and there is no limit to the ways they can be scaled. They can be a deadly encounter for a group of adventurers, regardless of level. They attack in numbers, and their automatic blood-draining every round is a powerful punch. The HP they drain can be moved up or down. Want some stirge for some level 1 characters? Make the blood drain only 1 HP per round. 5 of those on 1 character, and they will be in deep trouble. You can boost the blood drain all the way up to 10 for level 20 characters and anything in between for the other levels. I like to brew them for the different terrain types, and sometimes I'll further tweak them with minor (or major) magical abilities, like Sleep, or Darkness, or even Hold Person. I've had Teleporting stirge (like blink dogs bats), Swimming Stirge (always fun for those Man Overboard scenarios) and even Magic Missile Stirge. They are easily customizable and always scary. They are my favorite monster and I hope they will be one of yours now, too. 3 3 7

Succubus/Incubus "So, you visited that famous brothel this week when you tested out your new teleportation spell? Ha! While you were gone I've figured out what makes that place so special..." -- Calgarus Marbin, renowned human wizard talking with his perverted colleague. Introduction Beautiful and charming, these demonic creatures are capable of taking almost any humanoid form to suit their needs. Succubi are known for their trickery and skill at seduction and corruption. They make for excellent consorts, advisors and spies for demons and other powerful evildoers. Appearance This race of fiendish humanoids has two separate genders, named incubus and succubus for the male and female, respectively. I will refer to this race mostly with the female name only for a smoother read, but do be aware that everything I tell you regarding the succubus is also true for the incubus. In their natural form they look like crimsonwinged humans with a dark red tail that is quite long and slender. All have horns, or at least stubs. Some have speculated that the size of the horns may indicate a succubus's age, although no one knows for sure. Succubi are without exception exceedingly beautiful and any humanoid appearance they take with their shapeshifting abilities is almost always extremely appealing. Thanks to their shapeshifting, very few beings on the material plane have seen a succubus's true form. Succubi on a mission on the material plane rarely show their true form, since it is in their best interest to keep their true identities hidden. Behavior and career What exactly motivates a succubus is unknown, but it seems to be something in between pursuing pleasure and obtaining power. How they go about this varies wildly per individual, but almost all are deceitful and manipulative and use this talent for their own good. Most make their home somewhere on an evil-aligned plane, such as one of the many layers of the Abyss. Others have wandered the material plane for such a long time that they can almost call it home. Succubi who live on an evil plane typically hunger for attention, power and wealth by serving a local fiendish lord in any of several ways. Obviously, they make for excellent consorts and indeed, some succubi have specialized themselves in pleasing others to maximize their own gains. They also perform other (menial) tasks, such as torturing prisoners by taking the appearance of those dear to them and playing out all kinds of scenarios such as the rape or death of that person. In such situations, illusion magic serves them well. These types of succubi can, however, be considered the lowliest with the least amount of ambition. Those who aim for any true amount of influence will broaden their skill set and become more than mere playthings. Their cunning and calculated intelligence combined with their great charisma makes those succubi willing to put in the effort skillful advisors. These succubi are often in a position of great power and influence, using their charms and wit to influence many events in their favor. A few might serve as emissaries to other powerful entities. Some of the succubi in positions such as this have managed -over a time period of many years- to become powerful demon lords in their own right! Of those who wander the material plane, there are (roughly) two types: those who are on a mission, and those who are not. A succubus on a mission is in all likelihood sent there by some powerful entity to do its bidding. This is likely to be a long-term endeavor, spanning several decades. They are pawns in the grand scheme of things, and provide information to their patron (and often, other parties as well!) about the happenings on the material plane. This includes the rise and fall of cults, cities and nations, power struggles and the whereabouts of notable persons such as the Chosen Ones of gods or famous adventurers. These succubi are extremely adept at hiding their true nature because they do not wish to blow their cover. They provide others with (mis)information regularly and often pose as an unassuming, yet strangely beautiful humanoid of the local dominant race. All in all, they are quite calm and take their pleasures where and when they can, since causing unrest (and implicating themselves in the process) is not to their benefit. Ironically, they often become a respected member of the society they dwell in, taking the role of a sage or healer living just outside of town. Having the gratitude of the local townsfolk is always a good asset to be exploited! Those succubi wandering the material plane but without a mission have often simply escaped the bounds of a summoning. Many aspiring conjurers try their hand at summoning a succubus for a moment's pleasure, but some are unable to control their summon properly. The result is often tragic and bloody. The escaped succubi who do not wish to return home are very varied in their goals, but it's a good guess they view this as some sort of vacation and playground. Do not be surprised if they start causing trouble in some way or another. Life cycle & Inter-species contact This species is, as I have said briefly before, divided between succubi and incubi. When a succubus and incubus mate they might produce offspring just like any other creature does. The female generally takes some time off her duties just before and after birth, but otherwise acts as usual. After birth, the child is taken care of by the mother and sometimes by the father as well. They are not monogamous in any way and one incubus can father children with many different succubi. One might wonder how such evil creatures can still have the capacity to raise a child. Current research and interviews with summoned succubi indicate that despite their generally evil nature, succubi and incubi can make 'exceptions' to their general demeanor. This suggests that they can indeed feel love, or at least some kind of bond, but they do not admit this fact easily. 338

From the union between a succubus and a non-succubus, a half-succubus child may occasionally be born. These children almost always grow up on the material plane, as succubi are reluctant to take these children back to their home plane. If a succubus is the mother, she will leave the baby near the father or an unrelated childless woman. If a normal humanoid is the mother, obviously she will give birth to the child. The incubus father is unlikely to ever visit again. These children vary wildly in the things they inherit from their parents. Most are quite handsome, and many are naturally charismatic. A lucky few inherit some of the fiendish powers so common among succubi such as charm spells, the ability to read thoughts, illusions and disguises or (rarely) even the ability to speak or understand any language. A couple of these half-breeds even have a tough skin that is not easily damaged by fire or weapons, but such a gift is rare. The most unlucky ones are stuck with a resemblance to the succubus's true form but with few of the fancy powers. They are either killed upon birth or discovery or become outcasts later in life. Shunned by others due to their smallish horns and clawed hands, their childhood is quite harsh. A few have wings and the ability to fly, and these at least can flee their hometown more easily. While the ones blessed with a fortunate inheritance from their parents are bound to live a good life and often become quite influential (for better or worse, as one cannot predict whether they will use their powers for good or evil), the ones who were less fortunate are decidedly less well-off. This, in turn, leads the cursed ones down the path of evil as they lose faith in all others. Combat Most succubi do not enjoy melee combat, and they try to ensure that they do not become involved in any combat in the first place by having a good disguise and reputation, so that they won't be suspected of being an outsider (quite literally!). In the highly unlikely event that a succubus is discovered by heroes, she often has loyal minions to do her bidding. They are charmed into working for her, and are not easily convinced of her true nature. If one is able to get past that and actually confront the succubus she will still prove a formidable opponent. Resistant to normal weapons and some basic resistance to certain elements, one will need to be prepared to face a succubus or suffer the consequences. The razor-sharp claws will rip through any who are not ready. DM's Toolkit A succubus is a great antagonist to throw at your unsuspecting party in almost any campaign. Their versatility and excellent disguise make them a great 'plotting behind the screens' type of villain/mini-boss for a while, and once caught might reveal the real BBEG she's working for who is behind all of it, continuing the campaign on to the next antagonist (well, if that's what you want. She could also be the BBEG herself, manipulating and corrupting powerful rulers and such). I cannot recommend using the succubus as a fighting minion as they are not suited for this task at all. Some ideas to use succubi: A succubus that has cast off her fiendish origins and has been given a chance by a good-aligned outsider to redeem herself needs the party's help in destroying a powerful evil artifact to prove her worthiness of redemption. But, is that really her goal? Rumors abound that the best brothel in town is more than it seems at first glance. A rich merchant has fallen in love with a lovely young lady, but one morning she has disappeared and all of his riches are gone as well! He suspects someone has kidnapped her! But is this truly the case? A bitter young half-incubus is threatening to massacre his hometown for banishing him. How will the heroes stop him? 339

Shambling Mound "People have attempted to correct me on this, but I know what I saw. There were many, at least twenty. I saw the first ever witnessed instance of them in cooperation, and I... I was terrified. I had never heard of a stone species, much less them working together." --An interview with explorer Ozymand Juxta on the subject of Shambling Mounds Introduction Seemingly a bulky monster only made for killing, the Shambling Mound (AKA Shambler) is actually an intelligent predator with special techniques. While they may be known for residing in swamps and marshes, they may live in several different types of land. Using their appearance as an advantage, they can't be seen and are practically invisible. This makes them extremely deadly as carnivorous predators especially to their main prey, which is wandering civilians. Physiological Observations Shambling Mounds look like a tall humanoid being with several different types of terrain features attached to them. They stand at about six to seven feet tall with an eight foot girth. What they look like depends on the biome in which they live in. If within a marsh, they are covered in moss and algae. They will hide in swamps and appear as small islands of moss. If within a desert, they are coated in sand and have a bent back made for blending into dunes. If within a jungle, they are topped with moist dirt, lying on the floors of rivers. The jungle-based Shambling Mounds are also able to attach themselves to trees, as their backs roughly resemble a bark pattern. If within a cave, they are big bulks of stone, hugging the sides of caverns. These Shamblers have special pain resistant abdomens for their special killing method. If on plains, their backsides are flat and covered in grass. These ones' hands resemble cups, allowing for them to dig ditches to lie in. Social Observations Being solitary creatures, Shamblers are almost never seen around each other and it's for good reason. If they meet, they make a sort of pack and work together. Most of these cases are entire areas blanketed in Shambling Mounds. In the journal of the famous explorer Ozymand Juxta (published under the title, A Lifelong Commitment to Portable Beds), he describes an entire cavern layered in Shambling Mounds. When this is witnessed, no one ever goes into such an area. Juxta himself merely saw it and then went to other places. Too deadly an area for anyone to visit. Behavioral Observations Shambling Mounds are strictly carnivorous, attacking and killing anyone who treads through their land. They are also known to creep into local settlements and kill inhabitants. If they are located in a marsh, they will grab their victims from below and drown them. If they are located in a desert, they will quickly rise from beneath the sand to deliver a devastating charge. If they are located in a jungle, they will either rise speedily from the bottom of a river or hinge off of a tree to embrace and strangle its prey. If they are located in a cave, they will quickly grab their victims, push them against the wall of the cavern, and then crush them with their body. Intra-Species Observations Interactions with civilized beings and Shambling Mounds tend to be short and end with the civilian dying. If a town or camp is built near the home of a Shambler, he will most likely savagely attack the settlement. In uncommon occasions, towns may feed the them as a sort of treaty. They would then protect the town as a guardian. Of course, if the town stops feeding the Shambling Mound, there will be several casualties. If visited by another creature, the Shambling Mound will simply kill them and have a good dinner. This is not at all common though, as most creatures are able to sense the Shambler and thus avoid them at all costs. Shamblers seem to possess a sort of ego, thinking that they may take on any creature whatsoever. This can cause the end of several Shambling Mounds. DM's Toolkit From very different areas and attacking in very different ways, the Shambling Mound is a diverse enemy with one core concept: a big bulky creature with natural camouflage. While the most common may be the typical swamp-dwelling moss-covered monstrosity, they could live in other environments or even be hidden guards to a town, acting as living traps. They are truly versatile creatures, able to be used in lots of circumstances. If you put one into your campaign and it's a fight, it would be fitting for the moment to be major and well known. Let me explain what I mean by that: It's pretty special for someone to escape the grasps of a Shambling Mound, as it's never been recorded. All of those who have approached them have never been heard from again, so it's quite the achievement to survive an encounter. Have the local town throw a party of sorts, or give a reward. A big reward at that. 340

Tarrasque We do not intervene, for only in the face of pure terror, can the beauty of true courage be revealed. Only in the face of this mighty challenge, can a Paladin such as yourself, last of your party, rise up and show your worth. Only in the wake of total destruction can a nation as corrupt as this be created anew. -- Lathander, God of Birth and Renewal, when asked in desperation why the gods will not intervene to protect a city and its people from destruction by the Tarrasque. Introduction Few have seen one, and of those that have fewer still have survived to tell the tale. The Legendary Tarrasque is embedded deeply in the minds of the peoples of the Material Plane as an agent of destruction. Its power goes far beyond the mere destruction it is physically capable of, it becomes an object to be feared or even worshiped. The Tarrasque is nothing less than a force of nature. Physiological observations ...Well it's not like you can sit either yourself or the beast down long enough to paint its portrait. Most sensible people would be running like mad in the other direction - Spokesperson of the Monster Hunters Association of Adventurers, when asked why there are so many differing descriptions of Tarrasque physiology. Legends state that the Tarrasque was created by the Primordials in combination with the Princes of Elemental Evil as a weapon against the gods, some of which sacrificed their lives to ensure the creation was a success. Its physiology certainly bears witness to this creation, being more biological machine than animal. A Tarrasque is typically seen to be around 50 feet tall and 70 feet long including the tail. Universally accounts of the creature have mentioned the two, forward protruding horns and large clawed hands. Tarrasques have been observed to have three stomachs. The first, containing constricting muscles and sharp internal bony protrusions ensures that any living matter is deceased before it continues through the digestive tract. The second stomach applies acid to further break down the Tarrasque's meal and strip magic from the swallowed. Finally, the third stomach is a furnace ensuring that the swallowed item is entirely vaporized into its component parts and absorbed into the body of the tarrasque. One bio-engineering problem that the creators of the Tarrasque encountered, was that of blood-flow. Animals with appendages a great distance from their heart can have issues of circulation and blood pressure. For example, when a humanoid, having been lying down for a period will experience momentary dizziness if they suddenly stand up. Conversely if they lower their head below their heart for a long period, blood will pool in its head with nothing to draw it out except the vacuum created by the heart pushing blood in the opposite direction. This effect is exacerbated in larger creatures, necessitating larger hearts. At the end of the day, after all the running, screaming and destruction has stopped, a Tarrasque is really all heart - Anonymous Biologist The beings that engineered the Tarrasque have solved this problem, and granted additional advantages by ensuring that veins and arteries are walled with thin muscle tissue. These unique veins can ensure that blood reaches the Tarrasque's head in sufficient quantities when it is standing, and prevent over-pressure in the head when the Tarrasque bends down to bite at a tasty humanoid or beast. An advantageous side effect of this, is that any wounds that a Tarrasque sustains can be more efficiently closed off and prevented from bleeding, without having to entirely rely on blood platelets. Thus, it is nearly impossible for a Tarrasque to bleed out. A Tarrasque has two brains. One in the head, which controls movement and processes sensory input, and one at the base of the spine near the hips. This secondary brain, buried deep under the thick rear hide assists in controlling reflexes for the lower half of Tarrasque's body and contains critical brain matter such as the oversize pituitary gland which regulates blood pressure, vein/artery constriction and growth hormones. It is imagined that this could be the source of the Tarrasque's fabled regeneration capabilities. Social Observations The Tarrasque has never been observed in groups of more than one. It could be said that they are inherently antisocial creatures, obeying their primal urge to destroy. Behavioural Observations Tarrasques know nothing except the urge for destruction. Once awakened, they emerge from the earth and lumber towards the nearest settlement, whether on the surface, or in the underdark, Tarrasque's do not discriminate. When encountering a particularly troublesome foe, the Tarrasque will focus its attention until the pest is eliminated. In this, the Tarrasque displays unexpected swiftness of movement and surprising tactical ability given its low intelligence. Utilizing all the weapons at its disposal, swiping its claws and swinging its tail as the situation demands. Tarrasques have been observed to move through solid rock or "earthglide" on occasion. This has certainly been the case with Tarrasque corpses in the past. On their demise, the body remains for up to 2 days, before melting into the earth to regenerate. Intra-species Observations It has often been noted by those of stronger minds that the stampede to escape the path of a raging Tarrasque kills more people than the Tarrasque itself. Variant Species From the few reliable sources that we have describing the physical appearance of the Tarrasque, we can deduce that either there are multiple species, or that the Tarrasque takes on the appearance of the terrain from which it emerges. Should it awaken and emerge through a forest, it may contain the limbs of great trees sprouting from its carapace and limbs. Reports of its diamond hard shell may have been written by those who observed a Tarrasque which regenerated and emerged from its slumber near a gem mine. Should this hypothesis prove true, one can only imagine the horror of a Tarrasque awakened from inside a volcano. 341

DM's toolbox. There's no need for the DM to be afraid of introducing a Tarrasque to a campaign at any level as fighting it is entirely unnecessary. Instead, they could be tasked with managing a pre-Tarrasque evacuation, or convincing people to evacuate knowing that the Tarrasque is about to awake. Perhaps the party have heard rumours of a Tarrasque death cult which seeks to awaken one (or more) which they must then oppose (Hoard of the Tarrasque Queen?). Nor does the Tarrasque need to always represent Evil, in fact it shouldn't, being physically incapable of it. Perhaps in a nation of people oppressed by evil overlords, a Tarrasque, raised at the appropriate time and pointed in the right direction, may be just the thing needed to destroy a stronghold and therefore dependent power structure, thus liberating the people. Thus weakened, the Tarrasque may be more easily brought down by the heroic party, saving the rest of the city from further destruction. A Tarrasque, used in this way becomes a device, a tool, a means to an end, rather than an end in itself. Inspiration is easy to come by - Godzilla is the obvious example, King Kong, perhaps another. Can a pretty lady charm the great beast? The 5th edition Tarrasque has no inherent regeneration capabilities as it did in prior editions. The DM can obviously use their own discretion about limb regeneration. As mentioned above, perhaps destroying the brain containing the pituitary gland could stop the regeneration and significantly reduce the difficulty of the monster by reducing hind leg and tail reflexes (or entirely), or by causing it to have blood pressure issues. 342

Thri-Kreen "If you wish to know our people you simply need to walk across the solid sea endlessly." -- Liaison of Thri-Kreen nest Introduction Thri-Kreen are nomadic and spiritual creatures. They live off the land and take what they need and nothing more. Excess is not a concept that they understand. Although they are generally peaceful and can be very helpful to other humanoids they have a reputation as ravenous predators. They get the reputation from unfortunate travelers who survive an ambush either by provocation or simply there wasn't enough food. Thri-Kreen are a remarkable people as I'll call them. They are remarkably intimidating and hard to communicate with but there is much to be learned from them. Physiological Observations Thri-Kreen are a praying mantis like humanoid that stand anywhere between 7 and 8 feet tall. They have large lower legs and upper arms with smaller middle arms. They have the amazing ability to intuitively use both sets of arms making them just as capable with 4 swords as an elf is capable of wielding 2. A Thri-Kreen's head is almost strikingly identical to a large praying mantis. With an insectile tear shaped head and large segmented black eyes on each side. They have large antennae that point upwards from the top of the head, behind the eyes, and extend forward over the front of the head. They have large mandibles over the mouth that click and clack when moving. Although they have a skinny physique those familiar with insect anatomy will not be fooled by the incredible strength they possess. Their legs are long skinny and very powerful. It's not unheard of for a Thri-Kreen to jump up to 3 times their own height. Their feet end in 3 toe claws and a thumb like toe slightly pointing behind them. Their upper arms are as long as their legs and just as strong. The upper arm is fairly skinny while the fore arms are broad and wide. The arm ends in a 3 claw and thumb hand that makes for wielding even the most complex weapons possible. The lower smaller arms also have the same hands but only extend to Ω of the upper arm length. With 4 fully functional arms they can be intimidating when wielding twice the armaments possible of most humanoids. Thri-Kreen as desert dwellers and adept warriors have effective weapons that play into their physiology. The gythka is a large double headed glaive like weapon that is unwieldy for most other creatures but with their strength and mobility available to them this a deadly and efficient weapon in their hands. They also have multi-bladed boomerang like weapons called chatkcha. These are the go to ranged weapon and can be thrown while wielding melee weapons simultaneously negating the need to draw and sheath weapons mid-fight. Thri-Kreen also wield more conventional weapons but usually in pairs. Bows and axes are common for the versatility of range and close quarters. Thri-Kreen are usually colored for their environment. Although usually sand dwellers, there are some communities in secluded jungles or remote mountain tops. Desert dwellers are usually a tan or light brown in coloration on their shells, while jungle dwellers are a lighter green and mountain dwellers usually a darker brown. Like their ancestors Thri-Kreen are carnivores. They only eat meat aside from the occasional cactus flower during a wedding ceremony. They have no particular preference for meat aside from a rumor of elves. Given their mentality they could easily eat an elf or any other humanoid as they know any animal is meat. They usually go for beasts they find and do not normally eat other humanoids unless food is scarce. Unlike most praying mantises their thorax is not as large in proportion. A Thri-Kreen's thorax is very small and almost unnoticeable. Their anatomy is closer to that of a humanoid with the majority of their organs in their chest and stomach area possibly making the use of a large thorax not necessary. It's important to note that Thri-Kreen that while uncommon more often than most humanoids can be born with psionic powers. Typically just telepathy and other such powers develop but it can manifest in very powerful ways. If it wasn't for psionic Thri-Kreen we would know nothing of their ways and I owe my research to one such Thri-Kreen. Social Observations Thri-Kreen live in close communities. They make easily movable and packable shelters and move as a group roaming the deserts for food. They have a designated leader who typically is the wisest and most learned who guides the community to the next food and water source. As their homes are mostly barren they constantly move in search of food. In these communities which they refer to as the nest, there are as many as 50 members including children. This ideally makes for 40 or so adults and 10 children. A nest may also be very small with only 10 members but this is really dependent on a food source. If a nest is too large they will usually come to a conclusion to amicably part ways with 2 smaller groups for survival. Every member of the nest is a hunter and a fighter, even the children. Although peaceful in demeanor they fight and hunt for food and do so with a cool ferocity. From the outside looking in it's hard to tell as communication is very subtle yet intricate. Mating as with most humanoids is a private affair. Mates are paired much as human commoners are, by a feeling of connection. Sometimes that connection doesn't work. Since their lives involve the whole nest it's rare for mates to end on a sour note but it does happen. The ideal partner is for life but partnership is secondary to the priorities of the nest. Children are born as eggs for the first few days of their lives. The eggs are carried by the parents and typically only 1 or 2 eggs. Children hatch and mature to functionality within weeks. In the meantime the children are carried and hand fed. Once they reach maturity to walk they usually stick close to their parents but soon learn to help out in any possible way. Thri-Kreen have a very pragmatic mindset when it comes to children, they protect them for the future but they do not coddle them for the tough road ahead. Do not be mistaken they love their children as would any other human but it's shown in another way. 343

Emotions are something that Thri-Kreen experience to any and all degrees that humans can experience. The difference is that Thri-Kreen are very stoic in reaction and not quick to react on emotion. Emotions are weighted experienced and then action is taken after the brooding storm inside of them has subdued. It's not uncommon after the death of family a Thri-Kreen to be alone for days sorting out their feelings and rejoining the nest once they have calmed. Psionic members are very well respected and rejoiced when one is born. They are the best way to communicate with other races and creatures and they recognize that importance. Thri-Kreen born psionic are equals in the community as any other but respected and listened to as they can relay information that others could never understand. Thri-Kreen only live for 30 years and they live life knowing their time is short. They trade stories and enjoy heroic tales. They sit around late campfires and converse and eat and drink with family and friends all through the night. Part of this is that Thri-Kreen cannot sleep. I theorize this shortens the lifespan than that of other humanoids but they gain the benefits of rest simply by not exerting themselves which helps them to stay fresh simply by doing at most menial tasks such as storytelling. Despite such short lives they live physically, they have stories for hundreds of lives. Intra-Species Observations Most any animal is considered a possible food source. While food is the main reason for traveling far in the harsh deserts they do not immediately kill other humanoids despite their possible delectability. They prefer to learn what they can from other humanoids and learn of the wide world. If they are scarce on food they will hunt other humanoids, but only out of necessity. It's commonly known to Thri-Kreen that elves are very tasty but they also have a lot of stories and are admired for their full lives to share. Most other humanoids mistake Thri-Kreen as unintelligent brutes. Emotional intricacies are extremely varied but it's almost impossible to determine even the most basic ones them from species outside of Thri-Kreen. Even then communication is still almost impossible as the mandible clacking and antennae positions are impossible for other creatures to emulate and Thri-Kreen have no means of verbal communication without a voice box. Given the time they can understand verbal communication but are unable to respond in the same manner. Most of the time initial encounters boil down to pictures and gestures that don't translate well given distinct cultures and representations. This is why nests revere and enjoy psionic members as they can communicate effectively and relay the much sought after stories far more effectively. Even though Thri-kreen cannot speak any language they have the means to learn the written language. This is a little rare as established communication is hard to maintain to teach such a task but it does happen. They do not have a written language of their own as nomadic in nature and closely knit families physical communication is the most of their interactions. They do developed accepted drawings as a pseudo glyph language but only in attempt to communicate to noise makers as they call vocally communicating animals. Thri-Kreen are indeed very intelligent and complex beings but also back the brutish stigma in a few ways. First as seemingly lack of communication the way in which they silently fight unnerves some other humanoids who commonly grunt or shout during battle. The second is that they are incredibly capable warriors and that is not needed to be translated. They are able to easily dispatch multiple attackers given their increased amount of arms and ability to focus on more than 2 things that is common of 2 armed beings. They are also capable of fighting with little communication as the nest is almost always all fighting and all together. This familiarity shows in incredibly unified tactics and maneuvers with little communication. The most fantastical feat I had witnessed was a fight between the nest I was studying and a purple worm. Trails of a purple worm were spotted and being a giant source of food that would last a long time the whole nest jumped onto the trail. They took advantage of the worm's own ambush tactics by purposely walking into the area just above the burrowed worm. When the worm breached the lead Thri-Kreen jumped with incredible height speed and out of the reach of the gapping maw erupting from the ground. The rest of the nest then proceeded to attack the exposed areas of the worm stretching its plates in attempt to reach its intended prey. The fight was far from over but they were experienced warriors and safely brought the giant beast down. I would be lying if I didn't admit I almost fled in fear from the awesomeness of the purple worm. There are cases of lone Thri-Kreen away from a nest which are probably orphans of destroyed nests or some other tragedy. They seek companionship and are loyal to any community they are accepted and stay with. They have trusted friends and defend them to the end. Variations Different kinds of Thri-Kreen exist in the world and are described below. Desert Thri-Kreen: these are the Thri-Kreen described above that roam the deserts searching for food and water. Jungle Thri-Kreen: These nests roam the jungles more for safety from the dangers of the jungles more than lack of food and water. They appear lighter greens or however the vegetation is colored in the area. Mountain Thri-Kreen: These Thri-Kreen make their homes in remote mountain ranges hunting and gathering what they can from the terrain. They normally appear a darker brown to color close to mountain. Orphaned: These are lone Thri-Kreen that seek or sought companionship with other nests or races that for some reason roamed their homeland alone for some time. Psionic: These are Thri-Kreen that have psionic powers and well respected members of a nest. DM's Toolbox Thri-Kreen are an amazingly alien race that eventually turn more human than most parties get to realize. Here are some possible encounters. run in with a hungry nest - negotiate for food or you lives Mysterious desert/jungle guides Orphaned Thri-Kreen - attempts to join the party looking for companionship. 344

Treant "The machines of war, cursed metal pulled from the ground and forged in the flames of timber and bark, silently and slowly rolled forward. The armies of Nulchek were amassing, and with this convoy the walls of humanity would crumble before him. The construction had taken years, and frankly he was surprised even this small amount of forest was left spare after cutting so much to fuel the furnaces. In his pondering he took no notice of the trees unnatural swaying, and the cracks of bark separating, the convoy of war machines, and the general, never made it to the front, and the hobgoblin invasion of 7E 173 failed horrifically. The last thing general Nulchek saw was the front most machine flip backwards onto the second, and then the sky as a lumbering humanoid shape, enormous from his perspective and made of living tree, it looked down upon him and said you should've burned it all down before eternal darkness took the generals mind." -- Arch druid Xh!enge reciting an ambush incident report to king Pavol (7E 174) Introduction Treants are huge beings, born when a tree is awoken by a dormant power inside it. All Treants can sense when a trees power to live begins the long process of awakening, and nearing the Treants birth the area around will become thick with druids and other Treants seeking to protect the tree from those who would harm it. In its awakening the tree appears to grow as its own root claw upwards, wrapping around each other as they brake the soil layer to form two distinct legs, lower branches curl downwards and warp to take the form of large arms, and lastly the bark itself twists and turns until a face takes form and the Treant opens it eyes for the first time. From the moment they are born they seek to protect the land that made them, to protect nature just as druids do, and to bring down the raw wrath of that very same nature on those who seek to harm it. Physiological Observations Extract from Helger Mareeks Living plants: a study of Plants and sentience combined chapter 3 Treants The truly terrifying thing about Treants is that they are trees, I know that doesn't sound scary, but it is. If you draw the anger of a Treant, don't go near a tree, EVER again. Forests? You would be dead in seconds. That tree in the middle of your cities market district? Death trap. You see if a Treant does not want to be any more than a tree, it is no more than a tree, simply sinking back into the ground all its physical details disappear until it suits the Treant. When I did manage to observe a Treant in motion it takes vaguely humanoid appearance. Its two arms are formed from its own leafless branches, its hands twisted messes of spiked wood to grip and strike. Its legs were enormous masses of thick leathery wood, much like the roots of a tree when exposed by the tree falling. Its face sat somewhere in the upper chest to compare it to a human, roughly in line with the shoulders before finally leading up into its upper dome of greenery. Social Observations Paraphrasing the speech of arch druid Xh!enge when convincing king Pavol to leave moon sorrow forest unharmed (7E 168) Treants are solitary creatures, but not through a resentment for each other, in fact they are known to band together with almost no discrimination when the situation demands it. And to draw a pack of Treants into action is to invite death, these creatures hold no care for the rules of others, and no formal hierarchy is seen among themselves either. Instead Treants measure their actions based on morality, being wholly good creatures they rarely seek violence, instead preferring to remain unseen and not interfere. However they see nature as their kin, to cut a healthy tree or allow fire in there woods? Well they would see it just like we would see the killing of a brother, or burning of out homestead. Behavioural Observations Treants normally prefer the silence of being one with nature, most allow days, months, years even, to simply drift by as they hold their tree shape and commune with the less sentient beings around them. If left long enough, these Treants can build a massive information network through every root, flower, and blade of grass and even into the aquatic plant life of the sea. Such a Treant could eventually have contact with all plant life and become omnipotent, sadly as is the way of life, most Treants get nowhere near this before being forced to awaken by the likes of humanoids. When awoken they attempt to remain hidden and observe, but will spring into action if they feel the nature in their lands will come to harm through inactivity. In combat, a Treant is a force to be feared, its massive body being a raw bludgeoning device, there sense of nature allowing them to show their arms ground-ward and produce boulders nestled in the dirt. The larger Treants are reported to be able to temporarily awaken other plant life, as vine across jungle floors convulse and tighten to trip and ensnare would-be combatants, tree branches come to life, swinging in massive arcs to kill, and poisonous plants simultaneously release their full payload, turning pure fresh air into a deadly haze in seconds. Intra-Species Observations As mentioned, Treants often make quick friends and allies of and humanoid of a druid persuasion. They are good natured, slow to trust but their loyalty is as strong as ironwood. If someone shows no intent to harm the natural world, a Treant will show to intent to harm them. And even better, those who stand between individuals with the intent to harm the natural world, and the natural world itself, will often find the trees they guard move in front of them, seeking to meet these selfless defense. Treants have no quarrel with the Myconids, seeing them as a natural progression. However, Treants do seek out and destroy blights and shambling moulds, the latter for being unnatural. Treants have a long standing hatred for blights, blights are born of corruption of trees and bringing that which should not have sentience into the realm of the conscious. Treants purge blights from their lands and seek to destroy the trees that birth them. 345

Variants The joy of a Treant is they are as varied as the trees themselves. Different colours for each type? Up armour class but lower health from one type to another? Go wild, some quick ideas: Oak Treant: the one listed in the MM Brittle wood Treant: Born of crisp dry desert of savannah trees, they can shatter into deadly sprays of bark shards on impacts Jungle Treant: Larger, thinner Treants whose arms are replaced with writhing masses of vines, capable of throwing these ensnaring vines large distances to grab and jerk a person through the air towards them. Pine Treant: Covered in thick coating of spikes, weaker than your average but the prospect of shredding your flesh and armour against its bark keeps most adventurers are more than simply an arm's length. Deadwood Treants: Basically the undead version of a Treant, its wood in crinkled and darkened, his eyes poised a red tint, these Treants have become afflicted or died shortly before its birth and the result is a being of pure evil, seeking the destruction of the natural world. The list can go on, who says Treants are entirely trees? A massive shamble of driftwood and seaweed walks out of the ocean onto a beach? DM's Toolkit Treants can be a great addition, players pick a fight with a druid? TREANT! Players being swarmed by blights? TREANT! You get the idea. You could also go lord of the rings with it, recruiting the armies of Treants can be an amazing boon for any war effort, but it works both ways. 346

Troglodyte "The only thing that limits a troglodyte is the size of its stomach" -- Bris Morbane, Longhaul Trader Overview It is a misnomer that troglodytes are stupid. It's just that most folks close enough to them are usually food. And what conversation can you really have with food? Not a good one. Troglodytes are instead quite good "mothers" with an almost all-consuming hunger for fresh meat and huge heart for the eggs and kobold little ones. It is because they are queen, the center of the kobold nest. Physiological Observations Like the kobolds they arise from, troglodytes are good at ambushes, preferring to wait above or below their intended prey. Or utilize a trap that has been set earlier by the kobolds. Especially helpful in this endeavor is that fact that their skin can take on a wide variety of textures and colors that reflect the local habitat (this not true if the nest is new to the area). And furthermore, when excited or injured, the troglodyte can secrete a noxious musk that is will poison creatures in close proximity. In fact, if excited for too long this musk can fill a small room posing a danger to those outside of melee range. At that point, there have been reports that the creature's skin takes on a hypnotic pattern of bright swirling colors. Social Observations Its assumed that troglodytes are directionless and driven by only hunger much like large lizards ridden by the wild elves in the southern regions. This also is not true. Those who have escaped being eaten have spoken of sacrifice either through slaughter, dropped in a deep pit, or chained by the sea. These unsteady individuals, speak of crude statues whose rough work only enhances the horror of the gods they represent. Chants of "Laog-ZED", "BOK-rug", and/or "tsath-OG-GUA" can be heard. It's not clear if these are the same god or different aspects. No matter really because it all ends horrifically for the captured and abused. Interspecies Observations Where civilization has receded, kobold and troglodytes swell. They are like a tide that seeks to fill holes that others have left hollow. Unlike Gnolls, who they complete with, troglodytes can coexist with the natural environment eventually becoming the apex predator if none exist. However their worship of hungry gods and love of traps constantly pushes them toward civilization and other humanoids. They can never be left uncheck because trade, cattle, and children start to go missing. Observational Variants The variety of landscapes troglodytes inhabit combined with their color change ability has made it difficult to catalogue and understand the nature of variants. In most cases, the monsters just want to consume, however there is a preference sometimes for magic users by troglodytes who can manipulate fire. Some nests have been found to have members with a tendency for viscera reading and as such will favor the collection of knives and blades. Still other reports have talked of a great troglodyte "queen" who wears a mottled set of platemail and commands capable kobold sappers. These sappers are known to weaken the walls of keeps, collapsing them, staging a bloody raid, then retreating before forces can scramble. DM Tools I recommend beefing up the troglodyte "queen" with the stats for the Gnoll Fang and use the listed troglodyte stats for kobolds in a transition state. Troglodytes also are not prideful like Orcs might be, so they are not going to be easily suckered into one-on-one. They are predators like a pack of lions so while the small kobolds do a lot of the work, the troglodyte will slip in and out to land the big blows. The last thing I will throw out there is that troglodytes get a multi-attack which is pretty cool. But because I always picture them as sorta big alligators, I think if a PC is hit with 2 or more of those attacks there should be a special consequence. D4 Effect of Claw+Claw or Claw+Bite 1 Dragged! PC is pulled off their feet into a hole/water/trap door 2 Pain! The intense pressure of the squeezing gives disadvantage to one of the PC's next attacks 3 Snap! PC limb is broken due to the violent thrashing of the monster 4 Caught! PC must make a STR or Athletics check to escape the monster's grasp 347

Troll Antillo Di'Correio's Treatise on the Phenology of Trolls Good day to you, my reader. I thank you for your interest in my text. It was compiled after years of travel, research and exploration into regions which the normal traveler would do well to avoid. When I set out to write this text, it was with some trepidation. After all, what is there to know about Trolls? They have been the subject of many a tale and they are well established as a hazard for any who would travel the lowlands. Still, there has been little scholarly effort to consider why they are such a wide spread hazard. We all know what a troll looks like, and yet, when it comes to appearance, they are widely considered to be one of the most varied humanoid creatures. What exactly makes something a troll? They are said to eat everything from people, to animals to each other, and yet live alongside other creatures for years. Indeed, if stories are to be believed, trolls are even found next to villages and under bridges on busy byways. How would such a thing be possible if they are so ravenous? And finally, the most difficult question, how do they reproduce? There are stories which range from springing from the earth like plants, or from the spilt blood of injured trolls. I am pleased to say that in this I have made some discoveries, but I will save them for last as there are sure to be the most controversial of my treatise. The nature of Trolls and what is commonly known often depends on which part of the world one is when asked. Trolls are known to be found virtually all parts of the world, from the far northern mountains to the swamps and hills of my homeland in the south. They are accepted to be reasonably intelligent, often capable of limited speech, but lacking in wit. They are believed to have little in the way of culture, and to despise the civilized races whose borders they haunt. They are known to be terrifying in battle. Trolls are masters of the ambush. They love to lurk in water, under bridges and out of sight on hillsides. Far from the lands of men, they will abandon a carcass in such a place that it will attract other predators, which they will then try to devour in turn. They are surprisingly fast over short distances, and will try to draw their prey into attacking range, where they will tear at them with their claws and gnashing teeth. Such attacks can drive them into frenzy, and their regeneration allows them to ignore injury, or even keep fighting after being dismembered. In the seminal work of Ulraut Vas'Kalumn, the Hobgoblin bard, he describes a battle frenzy he observed on during the Empires expansion as such: We came upon them and our brave knight fell too, with steel and flame. Confident we were, and hard as the edge of a Szabla. Each blow severed tendon and stripped flesh. We fought as men who felt no fear. Yet ours was hubris unfounded. Our sword and fire were uneven in application. Severed hands grew arms; the bodies of headless foes rose again, even as their heads bit at our ankles. The red haze of Malar that clouded our warrior's eyes gave strength to the beasts, and soon the tide turned. In that terrible red mist, the beasts laughed. They bit deep, tore at each other as at our own. They shattered our line and stood amongst us as a fury unchecked. They towered over, and we could do naught but fear and die. While it should be said that the warriors in Va'Kalumn's work won the day, it was at great price. However, a few things can be gleaned from his telling. Firstly, that fire is key to fighting a troll. Their flesh will stitch itself together unless prevented, and for that one must burn it. Many sources I consulted claimed that the fire served as a purifying agent, and that its application destroyed the evil power which allowed the troll to regenerate. However, a mage with whom I travelled awhile assured me that he had success with an acidic compound made from the venom of an ankheg. It is therefore, I posit, possible that fire itself is simply a means of cauterizing the wounds, and that any source of burning would be sufficient to do so. Trolls often appear suddenly in a territory, and their coming is often preceded by a sudden departure of other large predators from the area. During the warm months, trolls create nests which they decorate with bones, sticks, and metallic objects and jewelry. During this period trolls usually live a solitary existence. However, particularly in mid-summer, it is not unusual to find a mating pair together. During the winter months, trolls tend to congregate in dens underground, and often come together in numbers. Like snakes, they take shelter with each other. As such, it is generally a wise man's choice to avoid such places in the winter, and deal with the trolls once the warm weather comes again. The origin of trolls is a mystery that is likely never to be found. Some have said that they are a creation of a mad wizard in some time past, while others believe them to be natural creatures, much as men, orcs or goblins. I posit that, as the trolls are mentioned in the legends of Elves (many of which predate the written word and the age of dwarves and men,) that trolls are either a creation of the gods or sprung from the magics of the Feywild and its boundless energy. It is suspect that, among all the simple creatures of the world, trolls alone would have such boundless life and energy. It smacks of magic, which I fear is beyond my own understanding. I suggest that interested readers refer to the works of Eldras of the Grey Tower, who has a much greater gift for the magical than this old ranger. Differences in Phrenology and what it means to the species can, in most cases, be explained as a function of the environment in which they live. Trolls who live in the thick marshes of the south tend to be larger than trolls who live in the mountains. I believe this to be a function of the abundance of food. Another consideration is that in swampy territory, a smaller frame is unnecessary, since the troll is much more able to behave as an ambush predator. (More on this later.) All species of troll tend towards a stooped gait, and their arms stretch long, giving them an almost ape like walk. Beyond that, they vary wildly, but their skin tone is often a match for their environment. Their regeneration means that all phenotypes might be found with extra limbs. The most famous variation of this, of course, being the two headed troll, as described in the children's tale, Glen O'Fastbrook at the Old Stone Bridge. It bears saying, however, that there is little amusing about two-headed trolls. They do not argue amongst themselves as in Old Stone Bridge, but rather the two heads establish a kind of hierarchy and quickly become a terrifying unit. Indeed, trolls are incredibly adaptive. They are typically the top predator in any environment they live in, and the disappearance of trolls in an area can usually be taken as a sign that something more dangerous has moved in. 348

Allow me a moment to discuss the two main phenotypes of troll which I have encountered. Firstly is the lowland troll. These are, as I said, bigger than average, and I believe it is from them that most stories of trolls spring. They are often found in swamps and marshes, but can sometimes be next to rivers and lakes, where they can be a threat to fishermen and travelers alike. They tend to be green in color and their aquatic lifestyle and sparse, wiry hair often lends them to becoming draped in swamp grasses and algae, giving them a drooping, straggly look. They tend to alternate in appearance from thick, bloated creatures to long and stringy. (This, again, is a function of their lifecycle.) They tend to have longer, narrower faces than their smaller mountain cousins, but it is not unknown to find short nosed trolls in marshlands found in valleys. Highland trolls, whom my dear reader has likely heard of but, I pray, never encountered themselves, are smaller in stature than their lowland cousins. As the name suggests, they are most often found in hills and mountains, though they rarely move above the tree line in such cases. They tend towards rocky, rougher skin, and the tone of it tends towards browns and greys. Again, this can change as its environment does. During my travels, I have seen trolls (from a distance,) who were at once brown and green stripped in summer, and brown and grey in fall. As I mentioned before, they generally have shorter, thicker faces. They have the same thin, wiry hair as lowland trolls, but less of it. My own observation is that what these trolls lack in size they make up for in cunning. They are adept at ambushing, and will use their mastery of the mountainous terrain to attack caravans and patrols with near impunity. I suspect that many of the stories of bridge trolls are based on these Highland trolls. Ice Trolls were described to me by a scald of the northern Elven kingdoms, and he described them as smaller (about the size of a tall dwarf,) yet with similar hallmarks of regeneration and appetite to the previous examples. These, he said, lived in the ice and snow of the north, and made their homes near hot springs and deep within the mountains. In the summer, when the glaciers water flows down, they will occasionally swarm into the lands of the Elves there. He told me of a legend of a great hero, Ilmasul Ilsorian, who once held back such a swarm in the Ice Hammer pass with an army of volunteers. His telling of the tale has led me to hypothesize that ice trolls, as they are called, differ from other trolls in that they are far more vulnerable to flame and significantly more social than other species of troll. Of course, I would be remiss to mention the Ocean, or Saltwater troll. It appears to me that these creatures, commonly called Scrags, in fact compose a totally different species. They tend to be far less amphibious than their land based cousins, the lowland troll, while at the same time demonstrating a greater intelligence and sociality then most other species of troll. However, they have a significant weakness in that their regeneration seems to be tied to the application of sea water. Indeed, if rumors are to be believed, they are able to regenerate even from fire if allowed to submerge themselves in salt water. It is my opinion, however, based on the other species of troll I have observed and my own thoughts on the nature of legends, that in all likelihood no such strength exists; rather, the trolls are just less inclined to bloodlust, and flee to the safety of the water when injuries are dire. Other phenotypes are, I suspect, the result of the trolls own propensity for mutation, which itself is the result of its impressive regeneration abilities. Two-headed trolls, threearmed troll and the like are almost certainly the result of some perverse ritual or accidental application of the severed appendage of another troll. I have seen evidence of what I can only describe as troll shaman's, who practice such rituals as sacrificial offering, self-mutilation and even rituals which bear the hallmarks of the summoning of spirits. Of course, I am aware of the stories from the east of trolls the size of great trees, and terrible monstrosities the size of mountains. I can only assume, based on my own searching for evidence in both text and the world, that such giant trolls must have been the product of overexaggeration by writers, or else a case of misidentification between trolls and hill giants or other giants. If not, then they must be both phenomenally rare and indescribably destructive. The idea of a gargantuan troll the size of a mountain is terrifying, as I am convinced that such a creature would be nigh on unstoppable. The diet of trolls can best be described as carnivorous, though not exclusively so. Generally, trolls eat whatever they can catch. Trees and foliage are generally left alone, while things which move tend to attract attention. Like a child, trolls interact with the world mostly through their mouth. I have seen trolls eat men, horses, bears, and even a peryton whose kettle had fallen upon my caravan. (That, truly, was a terrifying day. Luckily for my surviving compatriots and I, the birds turned on the greater threat of the troll, and we were able to flee. What followed was a two day forced march back to the safety of town. It took a long time before we were able to continue our journey: a lesson that the quest for knowledge is not for the weak of spirit or body. It is generally considered that trolls eat everything that they can catch, but this is not entirely true. They tend to prefer larger animals. Horses are a preferred meal, as are livestock. In the wild, when stocks of elk, giant goats and buffalo run low they will search out owlbears, giant crocodiles, manticores or even ettins. Though they seem fearless, they often avoid intelligent races that might be able to act against them in force. This is unfortunately not universally true, and in sufficient numbers trolls have been known to assault villages and towns. In temperate climates, trolls spend the spring staking out their territory, the summer mating and the fall feeding, and then spend the winter in hibernation. The cold does them no harm, so it is unclear why exactly they need to hibernate. It is my observation, however, that this might be partly due to the decreased availability of food and the difficulty in setting up ambushes, although in his work, The Ecology of Trolls, Eldras of the Grey Tower hypothesizes that in fact the blood of trolls prevents them from surviving the winter, and that while the cold does not harm them their hearts slow in the cold like a lizards. An interesting observation, but one that puts to question how such a thing as ice trolls could exist if that was the case. In any case, the bodies of trolls change significantly over the year. Those encountered in the spring tend to be leaner, while those in the fall thick and powerfully built. 349

The reproductive cycle of Trolls, as I promised, is one of the most hypothesized and theorized aspects of their lifecycle. To this, I bring my own significant observations, for I tell you: I have spent three summers chasing trolls in the woods of the Black Water valley, and I have observed many a troll nest, and even the hatching of a clutch of trolls. Indeed, I say hatching for that is what it is. An observant reader may have already caught on that trolls share much in common with a simpler creature with which we are all familiar: the common frog. Observe that both hide in water, using surprise and overwhelming strength to devour their prey. Both are capable of regrowing lost limbs, although the poor frog requires months to do what the troll does in mere hours. Both live equally on land and in water, and of course the frog even has a cousin who is like as the highland troll to the lowland. (Of course, I refer to the often maligned toad.) Indeed, trolls share many elements with frogs. One more is that trolls begin their lifecycles buried in the mud, as eggs. I warn you now, oh dear reader, that what follows is not for the weak of stomach. As I have said before, these nests are often decorated with bones, metallic objects or other decorations. They are also famously bad smelling; a direct result of the spreading of pheromones of the troll parents. Tolls do not raise their young, and it could not be said that there are male or female trolls. Rather, it seems that trolls are able to change themselves to suit the needs. If a community of trolls is missing a sufficient number of females, then it is possible that the weaker males of the colony might spontaneously develop female organs. I have never observed such a change, but I did observe that a male I had watched one year returned the following (to my surprise) as a female. The actual mating process is tame. Trolls do not lay with each other, but rather the female opens her belly to deposit her eggs directly into the nest. The male then sprays his seed onto the eggs, and the whole mix is covered with mud. 1 Over the course of the next few weeks, the parents will pack the nest with refuse, rotted meat, and their own excrement. The parents will usually stay together for a time before eventually both leaving the nest. The eggs hatch the following spring in a frothing mix of mud, rotted foliage and feces. It is truly a sickening sight to see so many tiny trolls pour out of the ground, and begin to devour each other. A grand melee ensues, until either one is left or the survivors decide to leave. Out of a clutch of hundreds of eggs, perhaps only ten trolls will escape the experience. The fledglings will seek out a source of water, wherein they will live until such a time that they dare venture out on land. Trolls grow rapidly, and a fledgling who is the size of a house cat when born will grow to be a head and a half taller than a grown man within a single season. 1 To those who would discount my theories with tales of trolls raping, you would do well to consider that such situations are not an example of trolls procreating. Such displays are a symptom of domination, and a behavior that the trolls themselves learn from their mercenary counterparts. I will venture that the most likely outcome of a troll attack on a village is that all those who can be caught will be eaten, and the idea that the troll would leave someone alive to bear a child is likely either a complete fantasy or a case of mistaken identity. Trolls are said to be without their own society, but at the same time are able to operate within armies as terrifying shock troopers. To this topic, my reader, I posit my final thoughts. I believe that while much has been made of the stupidity of trolls, there is a great deal that they can be made to learn if the need or desire arises. Trolls are cunning, vicious and always hungry, but this is a feature of their nature and not a deficiency of their mind. They are supremely adaptive, and underestimating their ability to spring a trap has cost me many a good friend. Trolls are to be feared and respected, and if one is to hunt them always remember: bring fire. 350